Gray: Thomas Gray's Journal of his tour of the Lake District (1769)
Coleridge: Samuel Taylor Coleridge's tour of the Lake District (August, 1802)
WW Dir & Info: William Wordsworth's Directions and Information for the Tourist from his Guide to the Lakes
WW Guide 1: William Wordsworth's Description of the Scenery of the Lakes. Section First. View of the Country as Formed by Nature. (lines 1-90.) Taken from his Guide to the Lakes
Anthology title: Title of one of William Wordsworth's poems
Thomas Gray's Journal of his tour of the Lake District (1769)
To Dr. Thomas Wharton
Wind at N:W. clouds & sunshine. a mile & half from Brough on a hill lay a great army encamp'd. to the left open'd a fine valley with green meadows & hedge-rows, a Gentleman's house peeping forth from a grove of old trees. on a nearer approach appear'd myriads of horses & cattle in the road itself & in all the fields round me, a brisk stream hurrying cross the way, thousands of clean healthy People in their best party-color'd apparel, Farmers & their families, Esquires & their daughters, hastening up from the dales & down the fells on every side, glittering in the sun & pressing forward to join the throng: while the dark hills, on many of whose tops the mists were yet hanging, served as a contrast to this gay & moving scene, which continued for near two miles more along the road, and the crowd (coming towards it) reach'd on as far Appleby .
On the ascent of the hill above Appleby the thick hanging wood & the long reaches of the Eden (rapid, clear & full as ever) winding below with views of the Castle & Town gave much employment to the mirror: but the sun was wanting & the sky overcast. oats & barley cut every where, but not carried in. passed Kirby-thore , Sr W: Dalston 's house at Acorn-bank , Whinfield-park , Hawthorn-oaks , Countess-pillar , Brougham-Castle , Mr Brown (one of ye six Clerks) his large new house, crossed the Eden & the Eimot (pronounce Eeman) with its green vale, & at 3 o'clock dined with Mrs Buchanan , at Penrith on trout & partridge. in the afternoon walk'd up the Beacon-hill a mile to the top, saw Whinfield and Lowther-parks , & thro' an opening in the bosom of that cluster of mountains, which the Doctor well remembers, the Lake of Ulz-water , with the craggy tops of a hundred nameless hills. these to W: & S., to the N: a great extent of black & dreary plains, to E: Cross-fell just visible thro' mists & vapours hovering round it.
Oct: I. Wd at S:W: a grey autumnal day, air perfectly calm & gentle. went to see Ulz-water 5 miles distant. soon left the Keswick-road & turned to the left thro' shady lanes along the Vale of Eeman , which runs rapidly on near the way, ripling over the stones. to the right is Delmaine , a large fabrick of pale red stone with 9 windows in front & 7 on the side built by Mr Hassell , behind it a fine lawn surrounded by woods & a long rocky eminence rising over them. a clear & brisk rivulet runs by the house to join the Eeman , whose course is in sight & at a small distance.
Farther on appears Hatton St John , a castle-like old mansion of Mr Huddleston . approached Dunmallert , a fine pointed hill cover'd with wood planted by old Mr Hassle beforemention'd, who lives always at home & delights in planting. walk'd over a spungy meadow or two & began to mount this hill thro' a broad & strait green alley among the trees, & with some toil gain'd the summit . from hence saw the Lake opening directly at my feet majestic in its calmness, clear & smooth as a blew mirror with winding shores & low points of land cover'd with green inclosures, white farm-houses looking out among the trees, & cattle feeding. the water is almost every where border'd with cultivated lands gently sloping upwards till they reach the feet of the mountains, which rise very rude & aweful with their broken tops on either hand. directly in front at better than 3 mile's distance, Place-Fell , one of the bravest among them, pushes its bold broad breast into the midst of the Lake & forces it to alter it's course, forming first a large bay to the left & then bending to the right.
I descended Dunmallert again by a side avenue, that was only not perpendicular, & came to Barton-bridge over the Eeman , then walking thro' a path in the wood round the bottom of the hill came forth, where the Eeman issues out of the lake, & continued my way along it's western shore close to the water, & generally on a level with it. Saw a cormorant flying over it & fishing . . .
The figure of Ulz-water shore nothing resembles that laid down in our maps: it is 9 miles long, & (at widest) under a mile in breadth. after extending itself 3m: & half in a line to S: W: it turns at the foot of Place-Fell , almost due West, and is here not twice the breadth of the Thames at London . it is soon again interrupted by the roots of Helvellyn , a lofty & very rugged mountain, & spreading again turns off to S: E:. & is lost among the deep recesses of the hills. to this second turning I pursued my way about four miles along its borders beyond a village scatter'd among trees & calle'd Water-malloch , in a pleasant grave day, perfectly calm & warm, but without a gleam of sunshine: then the sky seeming to thicken, the valley to grow more desolate, & evening drawing on, I return'd by the way I came to Penrith .
Oct: 2. Wind at S: E:, sky clearing, Cross-fell misty, but the outline of the other hills very distinct. set out at 10 for Keswick , by the road we went in 1767. saw Greystock -town & castle to the right, which lie only 3 miles (over the Fells) from Ulz-water . pass'd through Penradock & Threlcot at the feet of Saddleback , whose furrow'd sides were gilt by the noon-day Sun, while its brow appear'd of a sad purple from the shadow of the clouds, as they sail'd slowly by it. the broad & green valley of Gardies and Low-side , with a swift stream glittering among the cottages & meadows to the left; & the much finer (but narrower) valley of St John's opening into it: Hill-top the large, tho' low, mansion of the Gaskarths , now a Farm-house, seated on an eminence among woods under a steep fell , was what appear'd the most conspicuous, & beside it a great rock like some antient tower nodding to its fall. pass'd by the side of Skiddaw & its cub call'd Latter-rig , & saw from an eminence at two miles distance the Vale of Elysium in all its verdure, the sun then playing on the bosom of the lake, & lighting up all the mountains with its lustre.
Dined by two o'clock at the Queen's Head, & then straggled out alone to the Parsonage , fell down on my back across a dirty lane with my glass open in one hand, but broke only my knuckles: stay'd nevertheless, & saw the sun set in all its glory.
Oct: 3. Wind at S: E:, a heavenly day. rose at seven, & walk'd out under the conduct of my Landlord to Borrodale the grass was cover'd with a hoar-frost, which soon melted, & exhaled in a thin blewish smoke. cross'd the meadows obliquely, catching a diversity of views among the hills over the lake & islands, & changing prospect at every ten paces, left Cockshut & Castle-hill (which we formerly mounted) behind me, & drew near the foot of Walla Crag , whose bare & rocky brow, cut perpendicularly down above 400 feet, as I guess, awefully overlooks the way: our path here tends to the left, & the ground gently rising, & cover'd with a glade of scattering trees & bushes on the very margin of the water, opens both ways the most delcious view, that my eyes ever beheld.
behind you are the magnificent heights of Walla-crag ; opposite lie the thick hanging woods of Lord Egremont , & Newland-valley with green & smiling fields embosom'd in the dark cliffs; to the left the jaws of Borodale , with that turbulent Chaos of mountain behind mountain roll'd in confusion; beneath you, & stretching far away to the right, the shining purity of the Lake, just ruffled by the breeze enough to shew it is alive, reflecting rocks, woods, fields, & inverted tops of mountains, with the white buildings of Keswick , Crosthwait -church, & Skiddaw for a back-ground at a distance. oh Doctor ! I never wish'd more for you; & pray think, how the glass played its part in such a spot, which is called Carf-close-reeds : I chuse to set down these barbarous names, that any body may enquire on the place, & easily find the particular station, that I mean.
this scene continues to Barrow-gate , & a little farther, passing a brook called Barrow-beck , we enter'd Borodale . the crags, named Lodoor-banks now begin to impend terribly over your way; & more terribly, when you hear, that three years since an immense mass of rock tumbled at once from the brow, & bar'd all access to the dale (for this is the only road) till they could work their way thro' it. luckily no one was passing at the time of this fall; but down the side of the mountain & far into the lake lie dispersed the huge fragments of this ruin in all shapes & in all directions.
something farther we turn'd aside into a coppice, ascending a little in front of Lodoor water-fall. the height appears to be about 200 feet, the quantity of water not great, tho' (these three days excepted) it had rain'd daily in the hills for near two months before: but then the stream was nobly broken, leaping from rock to rock, & foaming with fury. on one side a towering crag, that spired up to equal, if not overtop, the neighbouring cliffs (this lay all in shade & darkness on the other hand a rounder broader projecting hill shag'd with wood & illumined by the sun, which glanced sideways on the upper part of the cataract. the force of the water wearing a deep channel in the ground hurries away to join the lake. we descended again, & passed the stream over a rude bridge, soon after we came under Gowder-crag , a hill more formidable to the eye & to the apprehension than that of Lodoor ; the rocks atop, deep-cloven perpendicularly by the rains, hanging loose & nodding forwards, seem just starting from their base in shivers: the whole way down & the road on both sides is strew'd with piles of the fragments strangely thrown across each other & of a dreadful bulk. the place reminds one of those passes in the Alps , where the Guides tell you to move on with speed, & say nothing, lest the agitation of the air should loosen the snows above, & bring down a mass that would overwhelm a caravan. I took their counsel here and hasten'd on in silence.
Oct: 3. The hills here are cloth'd all up their steep sides with oak, ash, birch, holly &c: some of it has been cut 40 years ago, some within these 8 years, yet all is sprung again green, flourishing, & tall for its age, in a place where no soil appears but the staring rock, & where a man could scarce stand upright.
Met a civil young Farmer overseeing his reapers (for it is oat-harvest here) who conducted us to a neat white house in the village of Grange , which is built on a rising ground in the midst of a valley. round it the mountains form an aweful ampitheatre, & thro' it obliquely runs the Darwent clear as glass, & shewing under it's bridge every trout that passes. beside the village rises a round eminence of rock cover'd entirely with old trees, & over that more proudly towers Castle-crag , invested also with wood on its sides, & bearing on its naked top some traces of a fort said to be Roman.
by the side of this hill, the valley turns to the left & contracts its dimensions, till there is hardly any road but the rocky bed of the river. the wood of the mountains increases & their summits grow loftier to the eye, & of more fantastic forms: among them appear Eagle's-cliff , Dove's-nest , Whitedale-pike , &c: celebrated names in the annals of Keswick . the dale opens about four miles higher till you come to Sea-Whaite (where lies the way mounting the hills to the right, that leads to the Wadd-mines) all farther access is here barr'd to prying Mortals, only there is a little path winding over the Fells, & for some weeks in the year passable to the Dale's-men; but the Mountains know well, that these innocent people will not reveal the mysteries of their ancient kingdom, the reign of Chaos & old Night. only I learn'd, that this dreadful road dividing again leads one branch to Ravenglas , & the other to Hawkshead .
For me I went no farther than the Farmer's (better than 4m: from Keswick) at Grange : his Mother & he brought us butter, that Siserah would have jump'd at, tho' not in a lordly dish, bowls of milk, thin oaten-cakes, & ale; & we had carried a cold tongue thither with us. our Farmer was himself the Man, that last year plundered the Eagle's eirie: all the dale are up in arms on such an occasion, for they lose abundance of lambs yearly, not to mention hares, partridge, grous, &c: he was let down from the cliff in ropes to the shelf of rock, on which the nest was built, the people above shouting & hollowing to fright the old birds, which flew screaming round, but did not dare to attack him. he brought off the eaglet (for there is rarely more than one) & an addle egg. the nest was roundish & more than a yard over, made of twigs twisted together. seldom a year passes but they take the brood or eggs, & sometimes they shoot one, sometimes the other Parent, but the surviver has always found a mate (probably in Ireland) & they breed near the old place. by his description I learn, that this species is the Erne (the Vultur Albicilla of Linnaeus in his last edition, but in yours Falco Albicilla) so consult Pennant about it..
Walk'd leisurely home the way we came, but saw a new landscape: the features indeed were the same in part, but many new ones were disclosed by the mid-day Sun, & the tints were entirely changed. take notice this was the best or perhaps the one day for going up Skiddaw , but I thought it better employ'd: it was perfectly serene, & hot as midsummer.
In the evening walk'd alone down to the Lake by the side of Crow-Park after sunset & saw the solemn colouring of night draw on, the last gleam of sunshine fading away on the hill-tops, the deep serene of the waters, & the long shadows of the mountains thrown acrossthem, till they nearly touch'd the hithermost shore. at distance heard the murmur of many waterfalls not audible in the day-time. wish'd for the Moon, but she was dark to me & silent, hid in her vacant interlunar cave..
Oct: 4. Wind E:, clouds & sunshine, & in the course of the day a few drops of rain. Walk'd to Crow-park , now a rough pasture once a glade of ancient oaks, whose large roots still remain on the ground, but nothing has sprung from them. if one single tree had remain'd, this would have been an unparallel'd spot, & Smith judged right, when he took his print of the Lakehence, for it is a gentle eminence, not too high, on the very margin of the water & commanding it from end to end, looking full into the gorge of Borodale . I prefer it even to Cockshut-hill , which lies beside it, & to which I walk'd in the afternoon: it is cover'd with young trees both sown & planted, oak, spruce, scotch-fir, &c: all which thrive wonderfully. there is an easy ascent to the top, & the view far preferable to that on Castle-hill (which you remember) because this is lower & nearer to the Lake : for I find all points, that are much elevated, spoil the beauty of the valley, & make its parts (which are not large) look poor & diminutive. while I was here, a little shower fell, red clouds came marching up the hills from the east, & part of a bright rainbow seem'd to rise along the side of Castle-hill .
From hence I got to the Parsonage a little before Sunset, & saw in my glass a picture, that if I could transmitt to you, & fix it in all the softness of its living colours, would fairly sell for a thousand pounds. this is the sweetest scene I can yet discover in point of pastoral beauty. the rest are in a sublimer style.
Oct: 5. Wind N:E: Clouds & sunshine. Walk'd thro' the meadows & corn-fields to the Derwent & crossing it went up How-hill . it looks along Bassinthwaite-water & sees at the same time the course of the river & a part of the Upper-Lake with a full view of Skiddaw . then I took my way through Portingskall village to the Park , a hill so call'd cover'd entirely with wood: it is all a mass of crumbling slate. pass'd round its foot between the trees & the edge of the water, & came to a Peninsulathat juts out into the lake & looks along it both ways. in front rises Walla-crag , & Castle-hill , the Town, the road to Penrith , Skiddaw & Saddleback .
returning met a brisk and cold N: Eastern blast, that ruffled all the surface of the lake and made it rise in little waves that broke at the foot of the wood. After dinner walked up the Penrith -road 2 miles or more & turning into a corn-field to the right, call'd Castle-Rigg , saw a Druid-Circle of large stones 108 feet in diameter, the biggest not 8 feet high, but most of them still erect: they are 50 in number. the valley of St John appear'd in sight, & the summits of Catchidecam (called by Camden, Casticand) & Helvellyn , said to be as high as Skiddaw , & to rise from a much higher base. a shower came on, & I return'd.
Oct: 6. Wind E: Clouds & sun. went in a chaise along the east-side of Bassingth : Water to Ouse-Bridge (pronounce Ews-bridge) the road in some part made & very good, the rest slippery & dangerous cart-road, or narrow rugged lanes but no precipices: it runs directly along the foot of Skiddaw . opposite to Widhope-Brows (cloth'd to the top with wood) a very beautiful view opens down the Lake , which is narrower & longer than that of Keswick , less broken into bays & without islands. at the foot of it a few paces from the brink gently sloping upward stands Armathwate in a thick grove of Scotch firs, commanding a noble view directly up the lake.
at a small distance behind the house is a large extent of wood, & still behind this a ridge of cultivated hills, on which (according to the Keswick -proverb) the Sun always shines. the inhabitants here on the contrary call the vale of Derwent-water the Devil's Chamber-pot, & pronounce the name of Skiddaw-fell (which terminates here) with a sort of terror & aversion. Armathwate-House is a modern fabrick, not large, & built of dark-red stone, belonging to Mr Spedding , whose Gr:father was Steward to old Sir James Lowther , & bought this estate of the Himers . so you must look for Mr Michell in some other country. the sky was overcast & the wind cool, so after dining at a publick house, which stands here near the bridge (that crosses the Derwent just where it issues from the lake) & sauntering a little by the water-side I came home again. the turnpike is finish'd from Cockermouth hither (5 miles) & is carrying on to Penrith . several little showers to-day. A Man came in, who said there was snow on Cross-fell this morning.
Oct:7. Market-day here. Wind N:E: Clouds & Sunshine. little showers at intervals all day. yet walk'd in the morning to Crow-park , & in the evening up Penrith -road. the clouds came rolling up the mountains all round very [unpromising]; yet the moon shone at intervals. it was too damp to go towards the lake. tomorrow mean to bid farewell to Keswick .
Botany might be studied here to great advantage at another season because of the great variety of soils & elevations all lieing within a small compass. I observed nothing but several curious Lichens, & plenty of gale or Dutch myrtle perfuming the borders of the lake. this year the Wadd mine had been open'd (which is done once in 5 years) it is taken out in lumps sometimes as big as a man's fist, & will undergo no preparation by fire, not being fusible. when it is pure soft, black, & close-grain'd, it is worth sometimes 30 shillings a pound. at the head of Borrodale .there are no Charr ever taken in these lakes, but plenty in Butter-mere-water , which lies a little way N: of Borrodale , about Martlemas, which are potted here. they sow chiefly oats & bigg here, which are now cutting, & still on the ground. the rains have done much hurt; yet observe, the soil is so thin & light, that no day has passed in which I could not walk out with ease, & you know, I am no lover of dirt. Fell-mutton is now in season for about six weeks; it grows on the mountains, & nearly resembles venison: excellent Pike & Perch (here called Bass trout is out of season. partridge in great plenty.
Receipt to dress Perch (for Mrs Wharton )
Wash, but neither scale, nor gut them. broil till enough; then pull out the fins, & open them along the back, take out the bone & all the inwards without breaking them. put in a large lump of butter & salt, clap the sides together, till it melts, & serve very hot. it is excellent. the skin must not be eaten.
Oct: 8. Left Keswick & took the Ambleside -road in a gloomy morning. WindE: & afterwardsN:E:. about 2m: from the Town mounted an eminence call'd Castle-rigg , & the sun breaking out discover'd the most enchanting view I have yet seen of the whole valley behind me, the two lakes, the river, the mountains all in their glory! had almost a mind to have gone back again. the road in some few parts is not compleated, but good country-road thro' sound, but narrow & stony lanes, very safe in broad day-light. this is the case about Causeway-foot & among Naddle-Fells to Lanewaite . the vale you go in has little breadth, the mountains are vast & rocky, the fields little & poor, & the inhabitants are now making hay, & see not the sun by two hours in a day so long as at Keswick .
came to the foot of Helvellyn along whichruns an excellent road, looking down from a little height on Lees-water (call'd also Thirl-meer , or Wiborn-water ) & soon descending on its margin. the lake from its depth looks black (tho' really clear as glass & from the gloom of the vast crags, that scowl over it: it is narrow & about 3 miles long, resembling a river in its course. little shining torrents hurry down the rocks to join it, with not a bush to overshadow them, or cover their march. all is rock & loose stones up to the very brow, which lies so near your way, that not half the height of Helvellyn can be seen . .
Past by the little Chappel of Wiborn , out of which the Sunday-congregation were then issuing.
Past a beck near Dunmail-raise , & enter'd Westmoreland a second time. now begin to see Helm-Crag distinguish'd from its rugged neigbours not so much by its height, as by the strange broken outline of its top, like some gigantic building demolish'd, & the stones that composed it, flung cross each other in wild confusion. just beyond it opens one of the sweetest landscapes, that art ever attempted to imitate. (the bosom of the mountains spreading here into a broad bason) discovers in the midst Grasmere-water . its margin is hollow'd into small bays with bold eminences some of rock, some of soft turf, that half conceal, and vary the figure of the little lake they command, from the shore a low promonotory pushes itself far into the water, & on it stands a white village with the parish-church rising in the midst of it, hanging enclosures, corn-fields, & meadows green as an emerald with their trees & hedges & cattle fill up the whole space from the edge of the water & just opposite to you is a large farm-house at the bottom of a steep smooth lawn embosom'd in old woods, which climb half way up the mountain's side, & discover above them a broken line of crags, that crown the scene. not a single red tile, no flaring Gentleman's house, or garden-walls, break in upon the repose of this little unsuspected paradise, but all is peace, rusticity, & happy poverty in its neatest most becoming attire.
The road winds over Grasmere-hill , whose rocks soon conceal the water from your sight, yet it is continued along behind them, & contracting itself to a river communicates with Ridale-water , another small lake, but of inferior size & beauty. it seems shallow too, for large patches of reeds appear pretty far within it. into this vale the road descends. on the opposite banks large & ancient woods mount up the hills, & just to the left of our ways stands Rydale-hall , the family seat of Sir Michael Fleming , but now a farm-house, a large olf-fashion'd fabrick surrounded with wood & not much too good for its present destination. Sir Michael is now on his travels, & all this timber far & wide belongs to him. I tremble for it, when he returns. near the house rises a huge crag call'd Rydale-head , which is said to command a full view of Wynander-mere , & I doubt it not, for within a mile that great Lake is visible even from the road. as to going up the crag one might as well go up Skiddaw .
Came to Ambleside , 18m: from Keswick meaning to lie there, but on looking into the best bed-chamber dark & damp as a cellar grew delicate, gave up Winandermere in despair & resolved I would go to Kendal directly, 14 m: farther. the road in general fine turnpike, but some parts (about 3 m: in all) not made, yet without danger.
Unexpectedly was well-rewarded for my determination. the afternoon was fine, & the road for full 5 m: runs along the side of Winder-mere with delicious views acrossit & almost from one end to the other. it is ten miles in length, & at most a mile over, resembling the course of some vast & magnificent river, but no flat marshy grounds, no osier-beds, or patches of scrubby plantation on its banks. at the head of two vallies open among the mountains, one that by which we came down , the other Langsledale , in which Wreenose & Hard-Knot , two great mountains, rise above the rest. from thence the fells visibly sink & soften along its sides, sometimes they run into it (but with a gentle declivity) in their own dark & natural complexion, oftener they are green & cultivated with farms interspersed & round eminences on the border cover'd with trees: towards the South it seem'd to break into larger bays with several islands & a wider extent of cultivation. the way rises continually till at a place called Orrest-head it turns to S:E: losing sight of the water.
Pass'd by Ings -Chappel, & Staveley , but I can say no farther, for the dusk of evening coming on I enter'd Kendal almost in the dark, & could distinguish only a shadow of the Castle on a hill, & tenter-grounds spread far & wide round the Town, which I mistook for houses. my inn promised sadly having two wooden galleries (like Scotland) in front of it. it was indeed an old ill-contrived house, but kept by civil sensible people, so I stay'd two nights with them & fared & slept very comfortably.
Oct: 9. Wind N:W: clouds & sun. air mild as summer. all corn off the ground, sky-larks singing aloud (by the way I saw not one at Keswick , perhaps because the place abounds in birds of prey). went up the Castle-hill . the Town consists chiefly of three nearly parallel streets almost a mile long. except these all the other houses seem as if they had been dancing a country-dance & were out: there they stand back to back, corner to corner, some up hill, some down without intent or meaning. along by their side runs a fine brisk stream , over which are 3 stone-bridges. the buildings (a few comfortable houses excepted) are mean, of stone & cover'd with a bad rough-cast. near the end of the Town stands a handsome house of Col: Wilson's , & adjoining it the Church, a very large Gothick fabrick with a square Tower. it has no particular ornaments but double isles, & at the east-end 4 chappels, or choirs. one of the Pars, another of the Stricklands, the 3rd is the proper choir of the church, & the 4th of the Bellingcams, a family now extinct.
there is an alter-tomb of one of them dated 1577 with a flat brass, arms & quarterings. & in the window their arms alone, Arg: a hunting-horn, sab: strung Gules. in the Strickland's chappel several modern monuments, & another old altar-tomb, not belonging to the family: on the side of it, a Fess dancetty between 10 Billets (Deincourt?) in the Parr-chappel is a third altar-tomb in the corner, no fig: or inscription, but on the side cut in stone an escutcheon of Roos of Kendal (3 Water-Budgets) quartering Parr (2 bars in bordure engrail'd). secondly an eschutcheon, Vaire, a Fess (for Marmion). thirdly. an escutcheon. three Chevronels braced & a Chief (which I take for Fitzhugh) at the foot is an escutcheon surrounded with the Garter, bearing Roos & Parr quarterly, quartering the other two beforemention'd. I have no books to look in, therefore can not say, whether this is the Lord Parr of Kendal (Queen Catharine 's Father) or her Brother, the Marquis of Northampton . it is a Cenotaph for the latter, who was buried at Warwick in 1571.
the remains of the Castle are seated on a fine hill on the side of the river opposite to the Town. almost the whole enclosure of walls remains with 4 towers, 2 square & 2 or 3 round, but their upper part & embattlements are demolished. it is of rough stone & cement, without any ornament or arms, round enclosing a court of like form & surrounded by a mote, nor ever could have been larger than it is, for there are no traces of outworks. there is a good view of the town & river with a fertile open valley, thro which it winds.
After dinner went along the Milthrop -turnpike 4 m: to see the falls (or force) of the river Kent . came to Siserge (pronounce Siser) & turn'd down a lane to the left: Siser , the seat of the Stricklands an old Catholick family, is an an ancient Hall-house, with a very large tower embattled: the rest of the buildings added to this are of later date, but all is white & seen to advantage on a back ground of old trees: there is a small park also well-wooded. opposite to this turn'd to the left & soon came to the river. it works its way in a narrow & deep rocky channel o'erhung with trees. the calmness & brightness of the evening, the roar of the waters, & the thumping of huge hammers ar an iron-forge not far distant make it a singular walk, but as to the falls (for there are two) they are not 4 feet high. I went on down to the forge & saw the Daemons at work by the light of their own fires: the iron is brought in pigs to Milthrop by sea from Scotland &c. & is here beat into bars & plates. two miles farther at Levens is the seat of Lord Suffolk , where he sometimes passes the summer. it was a favourite place of his late Countess: but this I did not see.
Oct: 10. went by Burton to Lancaster Wind N:W: clouds & sun. 22m: very good country well enclosed & wooded with some common interspersed. passed at the foot of Farlton-Knot , a high fell. 4 m: N: of Lancaster on a rising ground calld' Bolton (pron: Bouton)-Wait had a full view of Cartmell-sands with here and there a Passenger riding over them (it being low water) the points of Furness shooting far into the sea, & lofty mountains partly cover'd with clouds extending North of them. Lancaster also appear'd very conspicuous & fine, for its most distinguish'd features the Castle & Church, mounted on a green eminence, were all, that could be seen. woe is me! when I got thither, it was the second day of their fair. the Inn?? (in the principal street was a great old gloomy house full of people, but I found tolerable quarters, & even slept two nights in peace.
Ascended the Castle-hill in a fine afternoon. it takes up the higher top of the eminence on which it stands, & is irregularly round, encompassed with a deep mote. in front towards the Town is a magnificent Gothick Gateway, lofty & huge, the overhanging battlements are supported by a triple range of corbels, the intervals pierced thro' & shewing the day from above. on its top rise light watchtowers of small height. it opens below with a grand pointed arch: over this is a wrought tabernacle, doubtless once containing the Founders figure, on one side a shield of France semy quarter'd with England , on the other the same with a label ermine for John of Gant D : of Lancaster . this opens to a court within, which I did not much care to enter, being the County Gaol & full of Prisoners, both Criminals & Debtors. from this gateway the walls continue & join it to a vast square tower of great height, the lower part at least of remote antiquity, for it has small round-headed lights with plain short pillars on each side of them, there is a third tower also square & of less dimensions. this is all the castle, near it & but little lower stands the Church, a large & plain Gothic fabrick, the high square Tower at the West-end has been rebuilt of late years, but nearly in the same style. there are no ornaments of arms, &c: any where to be seen. within it is lightsome & spacious, but not one monument of antiquity, or piece of painted glass is left. from the Church-yard there is an extensive sea-view (for now the tide had almost cover'd the sands, & fill'd the river) & besides greatest part of Furness I could distinguish Peel-Castle on the isle of Fowdrey , which lies off its southern extremity. the Town is built on the slope & at the feet of the Castle-hill more than twice the bigness of Aukland with many neat buildings of white stone, but a little disorderly in their position ad libitum like Kendal . many also extend below on the keys by the river-side, where a number of ships were moor'd, some of them three-mast vessels deck'd out with their colours in honor of the Fair. here is a good bridge of 4 arches over the Lune , which runs (when the tide is out) in two streams divided by a bed of gravel, which is not cover'd but in spring-tides. below the town it widens to near the breadth of the Thames at London , & meets the sea at 5 or 6 m: distance to S:W:
Oct: 11. Wind S:W: clouds & sun. warm & a fine dappled sky. cross'd the river & walk'd over a peninsula 3 miles to the village of Pooton which stands on the beach. an old Fisherman mending his nets (while I enquired about the danger of passing those sands) told me in his dialect a moving story, how a brother of the trade, a Cockler (as he styled him) driving a little cart with two daughters (women grown) in it, & his Wife on horseback following, set out one day to pass the 7 mile sands, as they had frequently been used to do, for nobody in the village knew them better than the old Man did. when they were about haf way over, a thick fog rose, & as they advanced, they found the water much deeper than they expected. the old man was puzzled, he stop'd, & said he would go a little way to find some mark he was acquainted with. they staid a little while for him, but in vain. they call'd aloud, but no reply. at last the young women press'd their mother to think, where they were, & go on. she would not leave the place, she wander'd about forlon & amazed, she would not quit her horse, & get into the cart with them. they determined after much time wasted to turn back, & give themselves up to the guidance of their horses. the old Woman was soon wash'd off and perish'd. the poor Girls clung close to their cart, & the horse sometimes wading & sometimes swimming brought them back to land alive, but senseless with terror & distress & unable for many days to give an account of themselves. the bodies of their parents were found soon after; that of the Father a vert few paces distant from the spot, where he had left them.
In the afternoon wander'd about the town & by the key till it grew dark. a little rain fell.
Top
Samuel Taylor Coleridge's tour of the Lake District (August, 1802)
To Sara Hutchinson
On Sunday Augt. 1st - half after 12 I had a Shirt, cravat, 2 pair of Stockings, a little paper & half a dozen Pens, a German Book (Voss's Poems) & a little Tea & Sugar, with my Night Cap, packed up in my natty green oil-skin, neatly squared, and put into my net Knapsack / and the Knap-sack on my back & the Besom stick in my hand, which for want of a better, and in spite of Mrs C. & Mary , who both raised their voices against it, especially as I left the Besom scattered on the Kitchen Floor, off I sallied - over the Bridge, thro' the Hop-Field, thro' the Prospect Bridge at Portinscale , so on by the tall Birch that grows out of the center of the huge Oak, along into Newlands -Newlands is indeed a lovely Place-the houses, each in it's little Shelter of Ashes & Sycamores, just under the Road, so that in some places you might leap down on the Roof, seemingly at least-the exceeding greenness & pastoral beauty of the Vale itself, with the savage wildness of the Mountains, their Coves, and long arm-shaped & elbow-shaped Ridges-yet this wildness softened down into a congruity with the Vale by the semicircular Lines of the Crags, & of the bason-like Concavities. The Cataract between Newlands & Kescadale had but little water in it / of course, was of no particular Interest- / I passed on thro' the green steep smooth bare Kescadale / a sort of unfurnished Passage or antechamber between Newlands & Buttermere , came out on Buttermere & drank Tea at the little Inn, & read the greater part of the Revelations-the only part of the New Testament, which the Scotch Cobler read-because why? Because it was the only part that he understood. O 'twas a wise Cobler! . . .
Conceive an enormous round Bason mountain-high of solid Stone / cracked in half & one half gone / exactly in the remaining half of this enormous Bason, does Buttermere lie, in this beautiful & stern Embracement of Rock / I left it, passed by Scale Force , the white downfal of which glimmered thro' the Trees, that hang before it like bushy Hair over a madman's Eyes, and climbed 'till I gained the first Level / here it was 'every man his own pathmaker,' & I went directly cross it-upon soft mossy Ground, with many a hop, skip, & jump, & many an occasion for observing the Truth of the old Saying: where Rushes grow, A Man may go. Red Pike , a dolphin-shaped Peak of a deep red, looked in upon me from over the Fell on my Left, on my right I had, first Melbreak (the Mountain on the right of Crummock , as you ascend the Lake) then a Vale running down with a pretty Stream in it, to Loweswater / then Heck Comb , a Fell of the same height & running in the same direction with Melbreak , a Vale on the other side too,-and at the bottom of both these Vales the Loweswater Fells running abreast. Again I reached an ascent , climbed up & came to a ruined Sheepfold -a wild green view all around me, bleating of Sheep & noise of waters-I sate there near 20 minutes, the Sun setting on the Hill behind with a soft watery gleam; & in front of me the upper Halves of huge deep-furrowed Grasmire (the mountain on the other side of Crummock ) & the huge Newland & Buttermere Mountains, & peeping in from behind the Top of Saddleback . Two Fields were visible, the highest cultivated Ground on the Newland side of Buttermere , and the Trees in those Fields were the only trees visible in the whole Prospect.-I left the Sheepfold with regret-for of all things a ruined Sheepfold in a desolate place is the dearest to me, and fills me most with Dreams & Visions & tender thoughts of those I love best.
Well! I passed a bulging roundish-headed green Hill to my Left, (and to the left of it was a frightful Crag ) with a very high round-head right before me; this latter is called Ennerdale-Dodd , and bisects the ridge between Ennerdale & Buttermere & Crummock -I took it on my right hand, & came to the top of the bulging green Hill, on which I found a small Tarn, called Flattern Tarn , about 100 yds. in length, & not more than 7 or 8 in breadth, but O! what a grand Precipice it lay at the foot of! The half of the Precipice (called Herd House ) nearest to Ennerdale was black, with green moss-cushions on the Ledges; the half nearest to Buttermere a pale pink, & divided from the black part by a great streamy Torrent of crimson Shiver, & Screes, or Shilly (as they call it). I never saw a more heart-raising Scene. I turned & looked on the Scene which I had left behind, a marvellous group of mountains, wonderfully & admirably arranged-not a single minute object to interrupt the oneness of the view, excepting those two green Fields in Buttermere -but before me the glorious Sea with the high Coast & Mountains of the Isle of Mann , perfectly distinct-& three Ships in view.
A little further on, the Lake of Ennerdale (the lower part of it) came into view, shaped like a clumsy battle-dore-but it is, in reality, exactly fiddle-shaped. The further Bank & the higher part, steep, lofty, bare bulging Crags ; the nether Bank green & pastoral, with Houses in the shelter of their own dear Trees.-On the opposite Shore in the middle & narrow part of the Lake there bulges out a huge Crag, called angling Stone / being a famous Station for anglers-and the reflection of this Crag in the Water is admirable-pillars or rather it looks like the pipes of some enormous Organ in a rich golden Color.-I travelled on to Long Moor , two miles below the Foot of the Lake, & met a very hearty welcome from John Ponsonby , a Friend of Mr. Jackson's -here I stayed the night & the greater part of Monday
The old man went to the head of the Lake with me / the mountains at the head of this Lake & Wast-dale are the Monsters of the Country, bare bleak Heads, evermore doing deeds of Darkness, weather-plots, & storm-conspiracies in the Clouds-their names are Herd House , Bowness , Wha Head , Great Gavel , the Steeple , the Pillar & Seat Allian .-I left Long Moor after Tea, & proceeded to Egremont , 5 miles-thro' a very pleasant Country, part of the way by the River Enna , with well wooded Banks, & nice green Fields, & pretty houses with Trees, and two huge Sail-cloth Manufactories -went to Girtskill , a mercer, for whom I had a Letter, but he was at Workington , so I walked on to St. Bees , 3 miles from Egremont -when I came there could not get a Bed-at last got an apology for one, at a miserable Pot-house ; slept or rather dozed in my Clothes-
Breakfasted there -and went to the School & Church ruins - had read in the history of Cumbd. that there was an 'excellent Library presented to the School by James Lowther ,' which proved to be some 30 odd Volumes of commentaries on the Scripture utterly worthless-amp which with all my passion for ragged old Folios I should certainly make serviceable . . . for fire-lighting. Men who write Tours and County histories I have by woeful experience found out to be damned Liars, harsh words, but true!-It was a wet woeful oppressive morning-I was sore with my bad night-walked down to the Beach , which is a very nice hard Sand for more than a mile / but the St. Bees Head which I had read much of as a noble Cliff, might be made a song of on the Flats of the Dutch Coast-but in England 'twill scarcely bear a looking-at. Returned to Egremont , a miserable walk-dined there, visited the Castle , the Views from which are uncommonly interesting-I looked thro' an old wild Arch-slovenly black Houses, & gardens, as wild as a Dream, over the hills beyond them, which slip down in one place making a noticeable Gap-had a good Bed, slept well
After Breakfast, had a pleasant walk to Calder Abbey -an elegant but not very interesting Ruin, joining to a very hansome Gentleman's House built of red freestone, which has the comfortable warm look of Brick without it's meanness and multitude of puny squares. This place lies just within the Line of circumference of a Circle of woody Hills-the area, a pretty Plain half a mile perhaps in diameter-and completely cloathed & hid with wood, except one red hollow in these steep hills, & except behind the Abbey, where the Hills are far higher, & consist of green Fields almost (but not quite) to the Top. Just opposite to Calder Abbey , & on the Line of the Circumference, rises Ponsonby Hill , the Village of Calder Bridge , & it's interesting Mill, all in Wood, some hidden, some roofs just on a line with the Trees, some higher, but Ponsonby Hall far higher than the rest.- I regained the Road, and came to Bonewood, a single Alehouse on the top of the hill above the Village Gosforth -drank a pint of Beer (I forgot to tell you that the whole of my expences at St. Bees , a glass of Gin & Water, my Bed, & Breakfast amounted to 11d.)-from this Bonewood is a noble view of the Isle of Man on the one side, & on the other side all the bold dread tops of the Ennerdale & Wastdale Mountains / . Indeed the whole way from Egremont I had beautiful Sea Views, the low hills to my right dipping down into inverted Arches, or Angles, & the Sea , often with a Ship seen thro'-while on my left the the Steeple , & Sca' Fell facing each other, far above the other Fells, formed in their interspace a great Gap in the Heaven.-So I went on, turned eastward, up the Irt , the Sea behind & Wastdale Mountains before-& here I am -
Wed. Afternoon half past 3, Augt. 4th 1802-
Wastdale , a mile & half below the Foot of the Lake , at an Alehouse without a Sign Inn , 20 strides from the Door, under the Shade of a huge Sycamore Tree, without my coat-but that I will now put on, in prudence-yes here I am / and have been for something more than an hour, & have enjoyed a good Dish of Tea (I carried my Tea & sugar with me) under this delightful Tree. In the House Inn there are only a feeble Woman , and a 'Tallyeur' Lad upon the Table-all the rest of the Wastdale World is a haymaking, rejoicing and thanking God for this first downright summer Day that we have had since the beginning of May.-And now I must go & see the Lake / for immediately at the Foot of the Lake runs a low Ridge so that you can see nothing of the Water till you are at it's very Edge.
Between the Lake and the Mountains on the left, a low ridge of hill runs parallel with the Lake , for more than half it's length; & just at the foot of the Lake there is a Bank even & smooth & low like a grassy Bank in a Gentleman's Park. Along the hilly Ridge I walked thro' a Lane of green Hazels, with hay-fields & Hay-makers on my Right, beyond the River Irt , & on the other side of the River , Irton Fell with a deep perpendicular Ravine & a curious fretted Pillar of Clay crossier-shaped, standing up in it-next to Ireton Fells & in the same line as the Screes , & you can look at nothing but the Screes tho' there were 20 quaint Pillars close by you. The Lake is wholly hidden 'till your very Feet touch it, as one may say / and to a Stranger the Burst would be almost overwhelming. The Lake itself seen from it's Foot appears indeed of too regular shape; exactly like the sheet of Paper on which I am writing, except it is still narrower in respect of it's length. (In reality however the Lake widens as it ascends, and at the head is very considerably broader than at the foot.) But yet, in spite of this it is a marvellous sight / a sheet of water between 3 & 4 miles in length, the whole (or very nearly the whole) of it's right Bank formed by the Screes , or facing of bare Rock of enormous Height, two thirds of it's height downwards almost perpendicular; & then slanting off in Screes, or Shiver, consisting of fine red Streaks running in broad Stripes thro' a stone colour-slanting off from the Perpendicular, as steep as the meal newly ground from the Miller's spout.-So it is at the foot of the Lake; but higher up this streaky Shiver occupies two thirds of the whole height, like a pointed Decanter in shape, or an outspread Fan, or a long-waisted old maid with a fine prim Apron, or-no, other things that would only fill up the Paper.
When I first came the Lake was a perfect Mirror; & what must have been the Glory of the reflections in it! This huge facing of Rock said to be half a mile in perpendicular height, with deep Ravins the whole winded & torrent-worn, except where the pink-striped Screes come in, as smooth as silk / all this reflected, turned into Pillars, dells, and a whole new-world of Images in the water! The head of the Lake is crowned by three huge pyramidal mountains, Yew-barrow , Sca' Fell , & the great Gavel ; Yewbarrow & Sca'Fell nearly opposite to each other, yet so that the Ness (or Ridge-line, like the line of a fine Nose,) of Sca' Fell runs in behind that of Yewbarrow , while the Ness of great Gavel is still farther back, between the two others, & of course, instead of running athwart the Vale it directly faces you. The Lake & Vale run nearly from East to west and this figure below will give you some idea of it.-
Melfell (lying South of the Lake ) consists of great mountain steps decreasing in size as they approach the Lake.
My Road led along under Melfell & by Yewbarrow -& now I came in sight of it's other side called Keppel Crag & then a huge enormous bason-like Cove called Green Crag / as I suppose, from there being no single Patch of Green to be seen on any one of it's perpendicular sides-so on to Kirk Fell , at the foot of which is Thomas Tyson 's House where W & I slept Novr. will be 3 years-& there I was welcomed kindly, had a good Bed, and left it after Breakfast.
Thursday Morning, Augt. 5th-went down the Vale almost to the water head , & ascended the low Reach between Sca' Fell and the Screes , and soon after I had gained it's height came in sight Burnmoor Water , a large Tairn nearly of that shape, it's Tail towards Sca' Fell , at its head a gap forming an inverted arch with Black Coomb & a peep of the Sea seen thro' it.--It lies directly at the Back of the Screes , & the stream that flows from it down thro' the gap, is called the Mite -and runs thro' a Vale of it's own called Miterdale , parallel with the lower part of Wastdale and divided from it by the high Ridge called Ireton Fells . I ascended Sca' Fell by the side of a torrent, and climbed & rested, rested & climbed, 'till I gained the very summit of Sca' Fell -believed by the Shepherds here to be higher than either Helvellyn or Skiddaw -Even to Black Coomb -before me all the Mountains die away, running down westward to the Sea , apparently in eleven Ridges & three parallel Vales with their three Rivers seen from their very Sources to their falling into the Sea , where they form (excepting their Screw-like flexures) the Trident of the Irish Channel at Ravenglass --O my God! what enormous Mountains these are close by me, & yet below the Hill I stand on / Great Gavel , Kirk Fell , Green Crag , & behind the Pillar , then the Steeple , then the Hay Cock -on the other side & behind me, Great End , Esk Carse , Bow-fell & close to my back two huge Pyramids, nearly as high as Sca' Fell itself, & indeed parts & parts of Sca' Fell known far & near by these names, the hither one of Broad Crag , and the next to it but divided from it by a low Ridge Doe Crag , which is indeed of itself a great Mountain of stones from a pound to 20 Ton weight embedded in wooly Moss.
And here I am so lounded-so fully lounded-that tho' the wind is strong, & the Clouds are hast'ning hither from the Sea -and the whole air seaward has a lurid Look-and we shall certainly have Thunder-yet here (but that I am hunger'd & provisionless) here I could lie warm, and wait methinks for tomorrow's Sun / and on a nice Stone Table am I now at this moment writing to you-between 2 and 3 o'Clock as I guess / surely the first Letter ever written from the Top of Sca' Fell ! But O! what a look down just under my Feet! The frightfullest Cove that might ever be seen / huge perpendicular Precipices, and one Sheep upon it's only Ledge, that surely must be crag! Tyson told me of this place, & called it Hollow Stones . Just by it & joining together, rise two huge Pillars of bare lead-colored stone- / I am no measurer / but their height & depth is terrible. I know how unfair it is to judge of these Things by a comparison of past Impressions with present-but I have no shadow of hesitation in saying that the Coves & Precipices of Helvellin are nothing to these! But this sweet lounding Place I see directly thro' Borrowdale , the Castle Crag , the whole of Derwent Water , & but for the haziness of the Air I could see own House -I see clear enough where it stands-
Here I will fold up this Letter-I have Wafers in my Inkhorn / & you shall call this letter when it passes before you the Sca' Fell Letter /-I must now drop down, how I may into Eskdale -that lies under to my right-the upper part of it the wildest & savagest surely of all the Vales that were ever seen from the Top of an English Mountain / and the lower part the loveliest.-
There is one sort of gambling, to which I am much addicted; and that not of the least criminal kind for a man who has children & a concern. It is this. When I find it convenient to descend from a mountain, I am too confident & too indolent to look round about & wind about 'till I find a track or other symptom of safety; but I wander on, & where it is first possible to descend, there I go-relying upon fortune for how far down this possibility will continue. So it was yesterday afternoon . I passed down from Broadcrag , skirted the Precipices, and found myself cut off from a most sublime Crag-summit, that seemed to rival Sca' Fell Man in height, & to outdo it in fierceness. A Ridge of Hill lay low down, & divided this Crag (called Doe-crag ) & Broad-crag -even as the Hyphen divides the words broad & crag. I determined to go thither; the first place I came to, that was not direct Rock, I slipped down, & went on for a while with tolerable ease-but now I came (it was midway down) to a smooth perpendicular Rock about 7 feet high-this was nothing-I put my hands on the Ledge, & dropped down / in a few yards came just such another / I dropped that too / and yet another, seemed not higher-I would not stand for a trifle / so I dropped that too / but the stretching of the muscle of my hands & arms, & the jolt of the Fall on my Feet, put my whole Limbs in a Tremble, and I paused, & looking down, saw that I had little else to encounter but a succession of these little Precipices-it was in truth a Path that in a very hard Rain is, no doubt, the channel of a most splendid Waterfall.-
So I began to suspect that I ought not to go on / but then unfortunately tho' I could with ease drop down a smooth Rock 7 feet high, I could not climb it / so go on I must / and on I went / the next 3 drops were not half a Foot, at least not a foot more than my own height / but every Drop increased the Palsy of my Limbs-I shook all over, Heaven knows without the least influence of Fear / and now I had only two more to drop down / to return was impossible-but of these two the first was tremendous / it was twice my own height, & the Ledge at the bottom was exceedingly narrow, that if I dropt down upon it I must of necessity have fallen backwards & of course killed myself. My Limbs were all in a tremble-I lay upon my Back to rest myself, & was beginning according to my Custom to laugh at myself for a Madman, when the sight of the Crags above me on each side, & the impestuous Clouds just over them, posting so luridly & so rapidly northward, overawed me / I lay in a state of almost prophetic Trance & Delight-& blessed God aloud, for the powers of Reason & of the Will, which remaining no Danger can overpower us! O God, I exclaimed aloud-how calm, how blessed am I now / I know not how to proceed, how to return / but if I am calm & fearless & confident / if this Reality were a Dream, if I were asleep, what agonies had I suffered! what screams!-When the Reason & the Will are away, what remain to us but Darkness & Dimness & a bewildering shame, and Pain that is utterly Lord over us, or fantastic Pleasure, that draws the Soul along swimming through the air in many shapes, even as a Flight of Starlings in a Wind.-
I arose, & looking down saw at the bottom a heap of Stones-which had fallen abroad-and rendered the narrow Ledge on which they had been piled, doubly dangerous / at the bottom of the third Rock that I dropt from, I met a dead Sheep quite rotten-This heap of Stones, I guessed, & have since found that I guessed aright, had been piled up by the Shepherd to enable him to climb up & free the poor creature whom he had observed to be crag-fast-but seeing nothing but rock over rock, he had desisted & gone for help-& in the mean time the poor creature had fallen down & killed itself.-As I was looking at these I glanced my eye to my left, & observed that the Rock was rent from top to bottom-I measured the breadth of the Rent, and found that there was no danger of my being wedged in / so I put my Knap-sack round to my side, & slipped down as between two walls, without any danger or difficulty-the next Drop brought me down on the Ridge called the How / I hunted out my Besom Stick, which I had flung before me when I first came to the Rocks-and wisely gave over all thoughts of ascending Doe-Crag -for now the Clouds were again coming in most tumultously-so I began to descend / when I felt an odd sensation across my whole Breast-not pain nor itching-& putting my hand on it I found it all bumpy-and on looking saw the whole of my Breast from my Neck -& exactly all that my Kamell-hair Breast-shield covers, filled with great red heat-bumps, so thick that no hair could lie between them. They still remain / but are evidently less-& I have no doubt will wholly disappear in a few Days. It was however a startling proof to me of the violent exertions which I had made.
-I descended this low Hill which was all hollow beneath me-and was like the rough green Quilt of a Bed of waters-at length two streams burst out & took their way down, one on side a high Ground upon this Ridge, the other on the other-I took that to my right (having on my left this high Ground, & the other Stream, & beyond that Doe-crag , on the other side of which is Esk Halse , where the head-spring of the Esk rises, & running down the Hill & in upon the Vale looks and actually deceived me, as a great Turnpike Road-in which, as in many other respects the Head of Eskdale much resembles Langdale ) & soon the channel sank all at once, at least 40 yards, & formed a magnificent Waterfall -and close under this a succession of Waterfalls 7 in number, the third of which is nearly as high as the first. When I had almost reached the bottom of the Hill, I stood so as to command the whole 8 Waterfalls, with the great triangle-Crag looking in above them, & on the one side of them the enormous & more than perpendicular Precipices & Bull's Brows of Sca' Fell ! And now the Thunder-Storm was coming on, again & again!-Just at the bottom of the Hill I saw on before me in the Vale , lying just under the River on the side of a Hill , one, two, three, four Objects I could not distinguish whether Peat-hovels, or hovel-shaped Stones-I thought in my mind, that 3 of them would turn out to be stones-but that the fourth was certainly a Hovel. I went on toward them, crossing & recrossing the Becks & the River & found that they were all huge Stones -the one nearest the Beck which I had determined to be really a Hovel, retained it's likeness when I was close beside / in size it it nearly equal to the famous Bowder stone , but in every other respect greatly superior to it-it has a complete Roof, & that perfectly thatched with weeds, & Heath, & Mountain-Ash Bushes-
I now was obliged to ascend again, as the River ran greatly to the Left, & the Vale was nothing more than the Channel of the River, all the rest of the interspace between the mountains was a tossing up & down of the Hills of all sizes-and the place at which I am now writing is called-Te-as, & spelt, Toes-as the Toes of Sca'Fell -. It is not possible that any name can be more descriptive of the Head of Eskdale -I ascended close under Sca' Fell , & came to a little village of Sheep-folds / there were 5 together / & the redding Stuff, & the Shears, & an old Pot, was in the Passage of the first of them. Here I found an imperfect Shelter from a Thunder-shower-accompanied with such Echoes! O God! what thoughts were mine! O how I wishes for Health & Strength that I might wander about for a Month together, in the stormiest month of the year, among these Places, so lonely & savage & full of sounds!
After the Thunder-storm I shouted out all your names in the Sheep-fold-when Echo came upon Echo / and then Hartley & Derwent & then I laughed & shouted Joanna / It leaves all the Echoes I ever heard far behind, in number, distinctness & humanness of Voice-& then not to forget an old Friend I made them all say Dr. Dodd &c.
After the Storm I passed on & came to a great Peat-road, that wound down a hill, called Maddock How , & now came out upon the first cultivated Land which begins with a Bridge that goes over a Stream, a Waterfall of considerable height & beautifully wooded above you, & a great water-slope under you / the Gill down which it falls, is called Scale Gill -& the Fall Scale Gill Force . (The word Scale & Scales is common in this Country-& is said by . . . to be derived from the Saxon Sceala; the wattling of Sheep-but judging from the places themselves, Scale Force & this Scale Gill Force-I think it as probable that it is derived from Scalle-which signifies a deafening Noise.) Well, I passed thro' some sweet pretty Fields, & came to a large Farm-house where I am now writing / The place is called Toes or Teas-the master's name John Vicars Towers -they received me hospitably-I drank Tea here & they begged me to pass the Night-which I did & supped of some excellent Salmonlings, which Towers had brought from Ravenglass whither he had been, as holding under the Earl of Egremont , & obliged 'to ride the Fair'-a custom introduced during the times of Insecurity & piratical Incursion for the Protection of Ravenglass Fair. They were a fine Family-and a Girl who did not look more than 12 years old, but was nearly 15, was very beautiful-with hair like vine-tendrils-. She had been long ill-& was a sickly child-Ah poor Bairn! (said the Mother ) worse luck for her / she looks like a Quality Bairn, as you may say.' This man's Ancestors have been time out of mind in the Vale / and here I found that the common Names, Towers & Tozers are the same- / er signifies 'upon'-as Mite-er-dale the Dale upon the River Mite / Donnerdale -a contraction of Duddon-er-dale the Dale upon the River Duddon -So Towers, pronounced in the Vale Te-ars-& Tozers is those who live on Toes-i.e. upon the Knobby feet of the Mountain / Mr. Tears has mended my pen.-
This morning after breakfast I went out with him , & passed up the Vale again due East, along a higher Road , over a heathy upland, crossed the upper part of Scale Gill , came out upon Maddock How , & then ascending turned directly Northward, into the Heart of the mountains; on my left the wild Crags under which flows the Scale Gill Beck , the most remarkable of them callled Cat Crag (a wild Cat being killed there) & on my right hand six great Crags, which appeared in the mist all in a file-and they were all, tho' of different sizes, yet the same shape all triangles-. Other Crags far above them, higher up the Vale , appeared & disappeared as the mists passed & came / one with a waterfall, called Spout Crag -and another most tremendous one, called Earn Crag -I passed on, a little way, till I came close under a huge Crag, called Buck Crag -& immediately under this is Four-foot Stone -having on it the clear marks of four foot-steps. The Stone is in it's whole breadth just 36 inches, (I measured it exactly) but the part that contains the marks is raised above the other part, & is just 20 and a half Inches. The first foot-mark is an Ox's foot-nothing can be conceived more exact-this is 5 and thee quarter Inches wide-the second is a Boy's shoe in the Snow, 9 and a half Inches in length / this too is the very Thing itself, the Heel, the bend the Foot, etc [check]-the third is the Foot-step to the very Life of a Mastiff Dog-and the fourth is Derwent's very own first little Shoe, 4 Inches in length & o! it is the sweetest Baby shoe that ever was seen.-The wie-foot in Borrowdale is contemptible; but this really does work upon my imagination very powerfully / & I will try to construct a Tale upon it / the place too is so very, very wild. I delighted the Shepherd by my admiration / & the four foot Stone is my own Christening, & Towers undertakes it shall hereafter go by that name for hitherto it has been nameless.-And so I returned & have found a Pedlar here of an interesting Physiognomy-& here I must leave off-for Dinner is ready-
Dined at Towers' -& quitted him at half past one. Eskdale , more descriptively Eskerdales , for it is a dale by the reluctant Mercy of the mountains, and the Hills, their children / some but Babes, others striplings, who stand breast-high to their Fathers-it is mainly however two Dales, like Stanley's in St Johns / only that the intervening ridge of Hills, is higher than those of Leathes' water & lower than the Naddle Fell -The Esk runs down the left hand of the ridge (as you go down)-both vales are in their course of very unequal breadths, often little more than the River Channel in the one, and as much space as would serve for the bed of a good river in the other/-Now then the Hill-ridge intermits and the vales become one / but never sure were lovelyer human Dwellings than these nested in Trees at the foot of the Fells, & in among the intervening Hills / -After you have left Sca' Fell & his Progeny behind you, the Fells on each side are low, rough, & ragged with Bushwood, but low-
Inclosures made on the Screes partly for saving the Sheep from falling down, partly to reserve the Grass for the Hogs
After the junction & re-disjunction of the vales came to a Beck, with a Bridge which I crossed-a pretty Beck with well wooded Banks, chiefly Oak, Ash, Alder, & Birch, not without Thorns, Hazels, & Hollies / 2 or 3 houses very pleasantly situated on the Esk side of the Bridge, & on the other side a grand picture view of the Ridge & Top of Sca Fell seen thro' a with a road at the bottom/.
This Beck (from Harter Fell ?) slants from the Bridge directly into the Esk, & in a few hundred yards after, the vale narrows, unites, & you walk by the side of the Esk , now as broad as the Greta / the front side of the last Hill a pretty regular farmhouse with a noble Back of Wood / situated just as the House by the Brig at Great How / only the Hill is not as quarter as high /
I walk however not a furlong, before the Esk slants away from me to the left again, but presents a beautiful reach / - Harter Fell is next to Lowfell , & that Beck which I crossed the Bridge over, is Whillah Beck , comes from Burnmoor Tairn / on my right I have low Fells, Eskdale Moors , exceedingly rocky & woody, huge perpend. smooth stones, now hidden, & encircled by young wood, now starting out. The regular House is a shooting seat of Mr Stanley's - I come again to a view of the river over some Hayfields and an Islet in the River / the opposite fells Birker Fells . -
Remember the large Scotch Fir in Ennerdale -
Come to the Public House , with a beautiful low Hill of wood & Rock close behind, cross the Esk Bridge , & pass at the end of Birker Moor , a piece of wooded Rock-grander, exactly like the other side of Grasmere , opposite Tail End front-windows, except that it rises & falls in full large obtuse Triangles, & not so much in small Nipple-work-at the end of this Eskdale becomes a broad spacious Vale, completely land-locked, tho' the Fells at the end are low-indeed only green cultivated Hills-the vale now seems to consist of very large Fields, with corn & potatoes & grass Land growing, all in one field, in broad stripes.-To the right hand Muncaster Fell , to the left Easterfield Common , over which I ascended by a Peat Road . It seems I have gone 2 miles round about & ought to have crossed over at Dalegarth Hall (from Stanley's Shooting Box)-sate & wrote this near the top of Easterfield Common (Fern, Heath, & Moss)- a pretty view of the Sea thro' a sink in Mulcaster a small Dip in the shape of an inverted triangle-the Sea , & a triangle of Green Coast.
Descended on the other side of Easterfield Common , crossed a moss, and ascended another & came out upon / a good large Tairn with naked Banks, & a tiny Island covered with Sea fowl, two of which, & afterwards four, flew round about above me, wailing & , then dipped down low, & made a dead dart along over my head, so that I could hear the clang of the wings, & altering its Notes to a noise of anger & menace / I stand in the ruins of the city of Barnscar / fill 5 pages; but nevertheless I found nothing, after most patient search, that I could distinguish from any part of the Fell-two heaps of Stones, on each of which some Boys had built up a Shelter in the Shape of a large Chimney, wanting the one side fronting the Lake -it is a flat-round hill-Albinus omnino nihil.-However the view is very fine-Sauce better than the fish-behind to my left a noble sea-view-to my right a break in the Fells, & a bold view of the huge Mountains at the head of Wastdale directly across the Lake & in front of me. Corney Fell , Stones' Head Fell , Black Comb , of a very wild, various, & angular outline, running in ridges, rising in triangles, sinking in inverting arches, or darting down in Nesses-mountain seen behind mountain, either the backward overtopping the hitherward,-or the nearer mountain dipping down in an inverted arch or triangle/-at the bottom of Devock , i.e. between the mountain view & the water, & forming its immediate is a small Hill with a curious round large stoney Head/I shall ascend to my right, gain a still more extensive view of the Sea , & go round to it.
The angry clapper of the Bird's Bill, as it passed over my head.-
I was not in the City of Bardscar , it is half a mile from the Foot of the Lake, toward Mulcaster //but however it differs from what I did see/- Devock Lake is prettily shaped, & runs from South to North/at the Bottom, just under Wadness How , or Seat How by the Boat-House, standing/the Bank to my left is strait, but the other, the head left & the whole of the left is pretty in bays, & the Island close on its left Bank is pretty with some Trees & Bushes on it/and if the whole of its right Bank, which is an ascent of 120 yards perhaps, were completely cloathed with wood, & the other Banks judiciously plante, it would cap 'em a/sea views/& fell views!-Saw the pith of a Sieve two feet long, with a small strip of the Green suffered to remain, & keep the pith firm/dipped in hot fat/-A Candle-stick/with a back formed of half a [hollow] cylinder of Iron, with holes in it, & a solid Cylinder of Iron with a bent hook at the End to put in to those Holes, so as to lengthen or shorten the stick as occasion/its whole length when the hook [is] in its last hole, is nearly a yard/one of these long sieves will burn an Hour-
Passed over a common, wild, & dreary, and descending a hill came down upon Ulpha Kirk , with a sweet view up the River, with a [large] mirror over a rapid/Ulpha Kirk is a most romantic vale , the mountains that embosom it, low & of a remarkably wild outline/and higher mountains looking in from behind. The view from the Bridge, consisting of a reach of the River , the Road & the Kirk to the left at the end of the Reach. The Kirk standing on the low rough Hill up which the Road climbs, the fields level and high, beyond that; & then the different flights of mountains in the back ground, with wild ridges from the right & the left, running like Arms & confining the middle view to these level fields on high ground is eminently picturesque-A little step (50 or 60 yards) beyond the Bridge , you gain a compleatly different picture-the Houses & the Kirk forming more important parts, & the view bounded at once by a high wooded rock, shaped as an obtuse-triangle/or segments of a circle forming an angle at their point of junction, now compleat in a Mirror & equally delightful as a view/
I pass along for a furlong or so upon the road, the river winding thro' the narrow vale , & then turn off to my left athwart a Cove on Donnerdale Fell -a very rocky Fell, yew-trees on the Rocks/(each crag a lownding-place for sheep) the outer line running in the segment of a circle so as to form the cove athwart which I went-this outline most wildly saw-toothed/and sheep-tracks every where-O lovely lovely Vale!-
Here it was seated on this Mount , on Saturday, August 7, that I resolved to write under the name of The Soother of Absence, the topographical poem which I had long mummel'd about in my mind, & the day before thought of under the name of the Bards of Helvellin or the Stone Hovels/-The public house at Ulpha a very nice one/& the Landlord, a very intelligent man Bloomfield /-I climb over the Fell , taking to my left a little, wind around [under & between low] crags, & come to two Dubs in the shape of an 8, the hither one with 30 or 40 little Islets, [each] of a yard or so of breadth/& now suddenly burst upon me a blunt-angled triangle Hill, a Peak of great height & singularity, rocky, & hetherey, with patches of yellow Green Pasture intermixed/behind me, right over the Dubbs, a fine water view, of rivers & flat land, & the Sea /
-It must have been here that I lost my way, for I now went on till I found myself coming down upon Ulpha again, about a mile above the House & Kirk which I had just quitted/however I was not sorry, to have another view of that lovely Place , and it brought me in full sight of a fine water fall on the opposite Hill on the other side of the Duddon , seemingly a short mile above the Kirk /I saw Houses to my right, & an [old] Man with his Daughter , a sweet Girl, burning Bracken-went up to him & talked with him & the lovely Girl in the [midst] of the huge Volumes of Smoke, & found I had gone two miles wrong-which yet I could scarcely believe/however he sent me to the Road, which which hard by, & winded down thro' Donnerdale Halse , a sloping vale between the Donnerdale Common & Donnerdale Fell /a most lovely narrow vale with several Houses, and [after I had passed the first house] on my Right the sound of a Beck , deep hidden & with a wooden bank between me & it, & its other bank a Hill with a ravin bisecting it, but all covered with fine wood, & completely hidden, ravin & all
-nd now, being a short mile from Broughton Mills , this wood-covered Hill & sounding Beck to my right, there burst on me a lovely Prospect-about a quarter of mile on before me the woody Hill ran down [with] a very gentle descent in a long Ness, and the Hilly Ridge, directly in front of me, cultivated & inclosed to the top, ran down in a Ness far on behind the Ness of the woody Hill, & so as to form an inverted obtuse-angled triangle with the upper Half of the woody Nose, & thro' this the sea, & an Island in the distance/two or three Houses immediately upon the Sea Ness , & just where the Wood-ness reached the ground, a beautiful Road came in sight leading up the cultivated Hill, with houses & trees & hedges directly on to the little village upon the Ness-As I proceed a few yards, the view is completely altered, and a round smooth rises up beyond the Sea-Ness, & bisects the distance/and on the other side of the round Hill is the high lands on the Coast
nd now I descend, & cross the Wood-beck, which preserves its character to the last, running all under Alders, into a beck of a similar character from the Woods on Donnerdale Fell -& now come into a lovely vale, & a Bridge covered with Ivy, its wall 20 yards in length/the vale is completely land-locked by segments of circles folding in behind each other/before me a [strait] ridge slants across, the Hill on my right folds in a long Ellipse behind, while the Hill on my left in more of a segment of a circle folds in before it/so is it, with my back to the sea Irish Sea , & my face looking up the Stream that runs between alders & birch elms-the name of the Beck Little Beck , that springs out of Coe Moss /-Turning round & looking sea-ward the Hill that is now to my left & makes an elliptical line to my back, curves in a circle-segment, while the Hill to my right folds round about it/./The place Broughton Mills /Corn Mills/-the Hill that came upon when I lost my way Stickle Knot /-/
Mr. Thomas Robinson's Black Bull, Conistone -
Dined on Oatcake & Cheese, with a pint of Ale, & 2 glasses of Rum & water sweetened with preserved Gooseberries at the Ale house -Cassons'-the son, William Casson , got a pleurisy & abscess in his side by overheating himself & then starving himself in breaking up the Ice for the Mill-but being a Scholar, he gets his cloathes & a little money besides by teaching a lile lock of Bairns/his Father & Mother that keep the Public House Blacksmith's Arms, Broughton Mills, give him his meat.-The road [to Torvill or Torva] turns off at the Inn/the views on your left hand exceedingly interesting/a few hundred yards from the one Inn one eminently picturesque-a Cottage among the Hill with 9 main feautures of Sight having their point of unity in it/but all the way for a mile by our Left is a great bulging rocky Hill covered with wood, with two or three deep wooded Ravines in it, and the unseen ever-heard Brook winding at its feet-between the road & the brook inclosed fields, of steep descent, and near to the head of the woody Hill-bank a House & outhouses with 10 tall Firs at its Back/
The Roads upon [& between] the Hills from here a very interesting part of the Picture & [views to the right were of] open fields, steep ascending/Beyond the House with the Firs, he Brook becomes visible sloping down a descent/and still I ascend, ferney Common to my right, to my left woods with fields & inclosures intermixed, & above the woods-and now nearly in the bottom you see a House with 2 outhouses , the House itself ivied all over its sea-ward Gavel/-and from this House the [line of the] Beck runs almost straight up to its Fountain head/and a beautiful Road serpentizes over the Hill just above its head, and for a small space down along its hither Bank/it rises or seems to rise between 2 round stony Hills, each of which the Mountain-ridges now rise over, now sink under, in a jagged saw-toothed outline/
I am sitting in the road, with the ivied House beneath me, and right opposite me, thro' an inverted arch in the Fells, a very singular pike looks in -N.B.-one effect of the magnitude of surrounding objects-it gives to shapes a narrowness of width, exceedingly favorable to boldness, an approximating to a sharp point, which being comparative loses its effect upon paper-because you can scarcely give the real shape, preserving its true relative dimensions, besides in a picture you only take a part of the view; but in nature the whole, perhaps 20 fold more than you draw, appears to you, each part modified by all the rest-
-at this ivied house another Beck comes from the Fells, close by my road/& joins the former/& now a ridge rises gradually like a fish, increasing [all the way] from the Tail up to the head, rises between my road & the source of the former Beck-& about a furlong higher up, a bridge crosses the latter Beck, & the road which I before observed serpentizing at the head of the main beck runs down in a sweet Curve upon the Bridge; & goes by the Beck side down to the Ivied House in a strait Line/all before me, as far as I can see, which indeed is not more than a quarter of a mile , a gentle ascent, ferney Common -Steep on my right, the wider view on my left a descending Fell with green stony bulging Hills on either side , which unite at its head in a shelving ridge, over behind which a higher ridge shelves in the same Direction/I now pass on, beyond the source of the hither Beck , to the top of the Hill, along which & up which my road had ever been winding, & see behind me to my right a grand Seaview & the flat lands upon the Sea, with 3 Hills, the largest of which looks like a Paradise in the wild, the fields so sweetly shaped & so green, the smaller is not unlike it, the hither one is bleak/I go on, descend a little & to my right a low cultivated Dell, with stony Fells above it; to my left a bleak Common, & stony Fells over which the Clouds are sweeping, and on my right far onward long ridges of fells, all running [abreast] with long arms sea-ward, & seen either by dips & gaps in the the hithermost ridges, or by the superior height of the furthermost-but all alike-grey & stoney-it is a day of sun & Clouds, with a thousand Shadows on the Hills-
Coniston /Yewdale Crag is that noblest Ness, the main feature of the Head of the Lake /the next to it Yewdale Fells -
The water fall I saw is Levers' Water Force -and a Tarn to the south of it , behind two compleat Negro Breasts-a full Bosom/called Scrow & Bell . The Tairn behind Scrow /The Old Man is just above/next to that Seathwaite Fells -then Cockley Beck Fells -then Wrey Nose &c &c
Coniston Lake a fine mixture of the aweful & the pleasing Simple-of one-colored dark Rocks, & pastoral Hills below.
Coniston is doubtless a worthy Compeer of the Stateliest/an equal coheir of Nature with Keswick , Wyndermere , & Ulswater /Its distinguishing character I think it its perfect & easy comprehensibility. At its foot the Hills are low, but of a various outline/from the Foot to within a mile of the Head, the Hills on either side are of no great permanent Interest, tho' susceptible no doubt of a very high one from the accidents of Nature, that must be so frequent here, of broken Sunlights, Clouds, & Storm/The Head of the Lake is an admirable junction of awful & of pleasing Simplicity./its is beyond all lakes perfectly intelligible-Conceive a crescent of Hills, or rather a crescent hill, enfolding the first mile of water/this hill of various height & various outline, but no where high/above this hill at the head of the Lake, but somewhat to the Left of it (as you ascend the Lake ) high mountain of a remarkable sternness & simplicity, one-colored, as seen at a distance, & dark-colored/its boldest parts are first, the Bell & the Scrow , two black Peaks, perfectly breast-shaped & lying abreast of each other, the whole Bosom of a Brobdignag Negress, & on one side of them the Lever's water-fall /2-the very bold Ness called Yewdale Crag , its ridge line rounded/and about 150 yards from Gateskarth's , the house close upon the Lake , at its very head, the simple, most unfantastic, Yewdale Crag seen thro' a Dip in the woody pastoral Crescent below, this Dip a very gentle curve, the under half of an ellipse /The Houses, Gardens, fields, & woodland upon this crescent Hill are all in admirable keeping, various as heart can wish, yet all sweet Brothers & Sisters-so various that when together you see small likeness/so like that when separate, you might mistake one for the other-I pass by Gateskarth , & go for Skelleth /-Add Coniston Hall as the first bold feature, with its four Round Chimneys, two cloathed so warmly cap a pie with ivy & down on the wall far below/
observe from Torva thro' Coniston the force of imitation in the Gardens & sweet Porches, & every where clipped yews, in obelisks, & fine arches/about 2 miles from Coniston just where Hawkshead & Esthwaite with Priest-Pot and its floating Isle with Trees, then at the farther end (nearest Esthwaite ) 15 yards long/-there there is on your left, belonging to one John Swainson , with a compleate colonnade of clipped yews-an old man with his wife-had small else to do-was a Tanner, but long given over/has children, his they are grown up & married off- some time before this I came upon the view of Wyndermere .
I slept at Bratha on Sunday night-amp; did not go on to Grasmere , tho' I had time enough, and was not over-fatigued; but tho' I have no objection to sleep in a lonely House, I did not like to sleep in their lonely House
I called the next day-went into the garden-pulled some Peas, & shelled & drest them, & eat them for dinner with one rasher of Bacon boiled-but I did not go up stairs, nor indeed any where but the Kitchen. Partly I was very wet & my boots very dirty-& Molly had set the Pride of her Heart upon it's niceness-& still more-I had small desire to go up!
It was very kind of you, my Darlings! to send the 5£ (which I have now sent back) but it was not very wise. I could have easily procured 3 or 4 £ from Mr Jackson / but I gave up the Residence at St Bees , because I began to reflect that in the present state of my finances I ought not to spend so much money. Thomas Ashburner's call was the occasion of my resolve not to go to St Bees ; but my own after reflections were the cause.-In the course of my Tour (& I was absent 9 days) I gave away to Bairns, & foot-sore Wayfarers four shillings, & some odd pence; & I spent nine shillings-sum total, £0" 13s 0D-but to this must be added the wear & tear of my Boots, which are gone to be mended; & sixpence for a great knee-patch for my Pantaloons, which will not however be worn an hour the shorter time for the said large knee-patch. I have now no clothes but what are patched at the elbows, & knees, & in the seat-& I am determined to wear them out & out-& to have none till after Christmas-
Top
William Wordsworth's Directions and Information for the Tourist from his Guide to the Lakes
Directions and Information for the Tourist
Directions and Information for the Tourist
In preparing this Manual, it was the Author's principal wish to furnish a Guide or Companion for the Minds of Persons of taste, and feeling for Landscape, who might be inclined to explore the District of the Lakes with that degree of attention to which its beauty may fairly lay claim. For the more sure attainment, however, of this primary object, he will begin by undertaking the humble and tedious task of supplying the Tourist with directions how to approach the several scenes in their best, or most convenient, order. But first, supposing the approach to be made from the south, and through Yorkshire , there are certain interesting spots which may be confidently recommended to his notice, if time can be spared before entering upon the Lake District ; and the route may be changed before returning.
There are three approaches to the Lakes through Yorkshire ; the least adviseable is the great north road by Catterick and Greta Bridge , and onwards to Penrith . The Traveller, however, taking this route, might halt at Greta Bridge , and be well recompenced if he can afford to give an hour or two to the banks of the Greta , and of the Tees, at Rokeby . Barnard Castle also, about two miles up the Tees, is a striking object, and the main North Road might be rejoined at Bowes . Everyone has heard of the great fall of the Tees above Middleham , interesting for its grandeur, as the avenue of rocks that leads to it, is to the geologist . But this place lies so far out of the way as scarcely to be within the compass of our notice. It might, however, be visited by a Traveller on foot, or on horseback, who could rejoin the main road upon Stanemoor .
The second road leads through a more interesting tract of the country, beginning at Ripon , from which place see Fountain's Abbey , and thence by Hackfall , and Masham , to Jervaux Abbey , and up the vale of Wensley ; turning aside before Askrigg is reached, to see Aysgarth-force , upon the Ure ; and again, near Hawes , to Hardraw Scar , of which, with its waterfall, Turner has a fine drawing. Thence over the fells to Sedbergh , and Kendal .
The third approach from Yorkshire is through Leeds . Four miles beyond that town are the ruins of Kirkstall Abbey , should that road to Skipton be chosen; but the other by otley may be made much more interesting by turning off at Addington to Bolton Bridge , for the sake of visiting the Abbey and grounds. It would be well, however, for a party previously to secure beds, if wanted, at the inn, as there is but one, and it is much resorted to in the summer.
The Traveller on foot, or on horseback, would do well to follow the banks of the Wharf upwards, to Burnsall , and thence cross over the hills to Gordale - a noble scene, beautifully described in Grey's Tour, and with which no one can be disappointed. Thence to Malham , where there is a respectable village inn, and so on, by Malham Cove , to Settle .
Travellers in carriages must go from Bolton Bridge to Skipton , where they rejoin the main road; and should they be inclined to visit Gordale a tolerable road turns off beyond Skipton . Beyond Settle , under Giggleswick Scar , the road passes an ebbing and flowing well, worthy the notice of the Naturalist. Four miles to the right of Ingleton , is Weathercote Cave , a fine object, but whoever diverges for this, must return to Ingleton . Near Kirkby Lonsdale observe the view from the bridge over the Lune , and descend to the channel of the river, and by no means omit looking at the Vale of Lune from the Church-yard.
The journey towards the lake country through Lancashire , is, with the exception of the Vale of the Ribble , at Preston , uninteresting; till you come near Lancaster , and obtain a view of the fells and mountains of Lancashire and Westmoreland ; with Lancaster Castle , and the Tower of the Church seeming to make part of the Castle, in the foreground.
They who wish to see the celebrated ruins of Furness Abbey , and are not afraid of crossing the Sands, may go from Lancaster to Ulverston ; from which place take the direct road to Dalton ; but by all means return through Urswick , for the sake of the view from the top of the hill, before descending into the grounds of Conishead Priory . From this quarter the Lakes would be advantageously approached by Coniston ; thence to Hawkshead , and by the Ferry over Windermere , to Bowness : a much better introductio than by going direct from Coniston to Ambleside , which ought not to be done, as that would greatly take off from the effect of Windermere .
Let us now go back to Lancaster . The direct road thence to Kendal is 22 miles, but by making a circuit of eight miles, the Vale of the Lune to Kirksby Lonsdale will be included. The whole tract is pleasing; there is one view mentioned by Gray and Mason especially so. In West's Guide it is thus pointed out:-"About a quarter of a mile beyond the third mile-stone, where the road makes a turn to the right, there is a gate on the left which leads into a field where the station meant, will be found." Thus far for those who approach the Lakes from the South.
Travellers from the North would do well to go from Carlisle by Wigton , and proceed along the Lake of Bassenthwaite to Keswick ; or, if convenience should take them first to Penrith , it would still be better to cross the country to Keswick , and begin with that vale, rather than with Ulswater . It is worthwhile to mention, in this place, that the banks of the river Eden , about Corby , are well worthy of notice, both on account of their natural beauty, and the viaducts which have recently been carried over the bed of the river, and over a neighbouring ravine. In the Church of Wetheral , close by, is a fine piece of monumental sculpture by Nollekens . The scenes of Nunnery , upon the Eden , or rather than part of them which is upon Croglin , a mountain stream there falling into the Eden , are, in their way, unrivalled. But the nearest road thither, from Corby , is so bad, that no one can be advised to take it in a carriage. Nunnery may be reached by Corby by making a circuit and crossing the Eden at Armathwaite bridge . A portion of this road, however, is bad enough.
As much the greatest number of Lake Tourists begin by passing from Kendal to Bowness , upon Windermere , our notices shall commence from that Lake. Bowness is situated upon its eastern side, and at equal distance from each extremity of the Lake of
Windermere
The lower part of this Lake is rarely visited, but has many interesting points of view, especially at Storrs Hall and at Fell-Foot , where the Coniston Mountains peer nobly over the western barrier, which elsewhere, along the whole Lake, is comparatively tame. To one also who has ascended the hill from Graythwaite on the Western side, the Promontory called Rawlinson's Nabb , Storrs Hall , and the Troutbeck Mountains , about sun-set, make a splendid landscape.The view from the Pleasure-house of the Station near the Ferry has suffered much from Larch plantations; this mischief, however, is gradually disappearing, and the Larches, under the management of the proprietor, Mr. Curwen , are giving way to the native wood. Windermere ought to be seen both from its shores and from its surface. None of the other Lakes unfold so many fresh beauties to him who sails upon them. This is owing to its greater size, to the islands, and to its having two vales at the head, with their accompanying mountains of nearly equal dignity. Nor can the grandeur of these two terminations be seen at once from any point, except from the bosom of the Lake. The Islands may be explored at any time of the day; but one bright unruffled evening, must, if possible, be set apart for the splendour, the stillness, and solemnity of a three hour's voyage upon the higher division of the Lake, no omitting, towards the end of the excursion, to quit the expanse of water, and peep into the close and calm River at the head; which, in its quiet character, at such a time, appears rather like an overflow of the peaceful Lake itself, than to have any more immediate connection with the rough mountains whence it has descended, or the turbulent torrents by which it is supplied. Many persons content themselves with what they see of Windermere during their progress in a boat from Bowness to the head of the Lake, walking thence to Ambleside . But the whole road from Bowness is rich in diversity of pleasing or grand scenery; there is scarcely a field on the road side, which, if entered, would not give the landscape some additional charm. Low-wood Inn, a mile from the head of Windermere , is a most pleasant halting-place; no inn in the whole district is so agreeably situated for water views and excursions; and the fields above it, and the lane that leads to Troutbeck , present beautiful views towards each extremity of the Lake. From this place, and from
Ambleside ,
Rides may be taken in numerous directions, and the interesting walks are inexhaustible;a few out of the main road may be particularized;- the lane that leads from Ambleside to Skelgill ; the ride, or walk by Rothay Bridge , and up the stream under Loughrigg Fell , continued on the western side of Rydal Lake , and along the fell to the foot of Grasmere Lake , and thence round by the church of Grasmere ; or, turning round by Loughrigg Fell by Loughrigg Tarn and the River Brathay back to Ambleside . From Ambleside is another charming excursion by Clappersgate , where cross the Brathay , and proceed with the river on the right to the hamlet of Skelwith-fold ; when the houses are passed, turn, before you descend the hill, through a gate on the right, and from a rocky point is a fien view of the Brathay River , Langdale Pikes , etc.; then proceed to Colwith-force , and up Little Langdale to Blea Tarn . The scene in which this small piece of water lies, suggested to the Author the following description, (given in his Poem of the Excursion) supposing the spectator to look down upon it, not from the road, but from one of its elevated sides.
Behold!Beneath our feet, a little lowly Vale,
A lowly Vale, and yet uplifted high
Among the mountains; even as if the spot
Had been, from eldest by wish of theirs,
So placed, to be shut out from all the world!
Urn-like it was in shape, deep as an Urn
With rocks encompasses, save that to the South
Was one small opening, where a heath-clad ridge
Supplied a boundary less abrupt and close;
A quiet treeless nook, with two green fields
A liquid pool that glittered in the sun,
And one bare Dwelling; one Abode, no more!
It seemed the home of poverty and toil,
Though not of want: the little fields, made green
By husbandry of many thirty years,
Paid cheerful tribute to the moorland House.
-There crows the Cock, single in his domain:
The small birds find in spring no thicket there
To shroud them; only from the neighbouring Vales
The Cuckoo, straggling up to the hill tops,
Shouteth faint tidings of some gladder place.
From this little Vale return towards Ambleside by Great Langdale , stopping, if there be time, to see the Dungeon-ghyll waterfall.
The Lake of Coniston
May be conveniently visited from Ambleside , but is seen to most advantage by entering the country over the Sands from Lancaster . The Stranger, from the moment he sets his foot on those Sands, seems to leave the turmoil and traffic of the world behind him; and, crossing the majestic plain whence the sea has retired, he beholds, rising apparently from its base, the cluster of mountains among which he is going to wander, and towards whose recesses, by the Vale of Coniston , he is gradually and peacefully led. From the Inn at the head of Coniston Lake , a leisurely Traveller might have much pleasure in looking into Yewdale and Tilberthwaite , returning to his Inn from the head of Yewdale by a mountain track which has the farm of Tarn Hows , a little on the right: by this road is seen much the best view of Coniston Lake from the south. At the head of Coniston Water there is an agreeable Inn, from which an enterprising Tourist might go to the Vale of the Duddon , over walna Scar , down to Seathwaite , Newfield , and to the rocks where the river issues from a narrow pass into the broad Vale. The stream is very interesting for the space of a mile above this point, and below, by Ulpha Kirk , till it enters the Sands, where it is overlooked by the solitary Mountain Black Comb , the summit of which, as that experienced surveyor, Colonel Mudge , declared, commands a more extensive view than any other point in Britain. Ireland he saw more than once, but not when the sun was above the horizen.
Close by the Sea, lone sentinel,Black-Comb his forward station keeps;
He breaks the sea's tumultuous swell,-
And ponders o'er the level deeps.
He listens to the bugle horn,
Where Eskdale's lovely valley bends;
Eyes Walney's early fields of corn;
Sea-birds to Holker's woods he sends.
Beneath his feet the sunk ship rests,
In Duddon Sands , its masts all bare:
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The Minstrels of Windermere, by Chas. Farish, B.D.
The Tourist may either return to the Inn at Coniston by Broughton , or, by turning to the left before he comes to that town, or, which would be much better, he may cross from
Ulpha Kirk
Over Birker moor , to Birker-force , at the head of the finest ravine in the country; and thence up the Vale of the Esk , by Hardknot and Wrynose , back to Ambleside . Near the road, ascending from Eskdale , are conspicuous remains of a Roman fortress. Details of the Duddon and Donnerdale are given in the Author's series of Sonnets upon the Duddon and in the accompanying Notes. In addition to its two Vales at its head, Windermere communicates with two lateral vallies; that of Troutbeck , distinguished by the mountains at its head- by the picturesque remains of cottage architecture; and, towards the lower part, by bold foregrounds formed by the steep and winding banks of the river. This Vale, as before mentioned, may be most conveniently seen from Low Wood . The other lateral Valley, that of Hawkshead , is visited to most advantage, and most conveniently, from Bowness ; crossing the Lake by the Ferry- then pass the two villages of Sawrey , and on quitting the latter, you have a fine view of the Lake of Esthwaite , and the cone of one of the Langdale Pikes in the distance.
Before you leave Ambleside give three minutes to looking at a passage of the brook which runs through the town; it is seen from a garden on the right bank of the stream, a few steps above the bridge- the garden at present is rented by Mrs. Airey .-Stockgill-force , upon the same stream, will have been mentioned to you as one of the sights of the neighbourhood. And by a Tourist halting a few days in Ambleside , the Nook also might be visited; a spot where there is a bridge over Scandale-beck , which makes a pretty subject for the pencil. Lastly, for residents of a week or so at Ambleside , there are delightful rambles over every part of Loughrigg Fell and among the enclosures on its sides; particularly about Loughrigg Tarn , and on its eastern side about Fox How and the properties adjoining to the northwards.
Road from Ambleside to Keswick
The Waterfalls of Rydal are pointed out to every one. But it ought to be observed here, that Rydal-mere is no where seen to advantage from the main road. Fine views of it may be had from Rydal Park ; but these grounds, as well as those of Rydal Mount and Ivy Cottage , from which it is viewed to advantage, are private. A foot road passing behind Rydal Mount and under Nab Scar to Grasmere , is very favourable to views of the Lake and the Vale, looking back towards Ambleside . The horse road also, along the western side of the Lake, under Loughrigg fell , as before mentioned, does justice to the beauties of this small mere, of which the Traveller who keeps to the high road is not at all aware
Grasmere
There are two small Inns in the Vale of Grasmere , one near the Church, from which it may be conveniently explored in every direction, and a mountain walk taken up Easedale to Easedale Tarn , one of the finest tarns in the country, thence to Stickle Tarn , and to the top of Langdale Pikes . See also the Vale of Grasmere from Butterlip How . A boat is kept by the innkeeper, and this circular Vale, in the solemnity of a fine evening, will make, from the bosom of the Lake, an impression that will scarcely ever effaced.
The direct road from Grasmere to Keswick does not (as has been obseerved of Rydal Mere ) shew to advantage Thirlmere , or Wythburn Lake , with its surrounding mountains. By a Traveller proceeding at leisure, a little deviation ought to be made from the main road, when he has advanced a little beyond the sixth mile-stone short of Keswick , from which point there is a noble view of the Vale of Legberthwaite , with Blencathra (commonly called Saddle-back ) in front. Having previously enquired, at the Inn near Wythburn Chapel , the best way from this mile-stone to the bridge that divides the Lake, he must cross it, and proceed with the Lake on the right, to the hamlet a little beyond its termination, and rejoin the main road upon Shoulthwaite Moss , about four miles from Keswick ; or, if on foot, the Tourist may follow the stream that issues from Thirlmere down the romantic Vale of St. John's , and so (enquiring the way at some cottage) to Keswick , by a circuit of little more than a mile. A more interesting tract of country is scarcely any where to be seen, than the road between Ambleside and Keswick , with the deviations that have been pointed out. Helvellyn may be conveniently ascended from the Inn at Wythburn .
The Vale of Keswick
This Vale stretches, without winding, nearly North and South, from the head of Derwent Water to the foot of Bassenthwaite Lake . It communicates with Borrowdale on the South; with the river Greta , and Thirlmere , on the East, with which the Traveller has become acquainted on his way from Ambleside ; and with the Vale of Newlands on the West- which last Vale he may pass through, in going to, or returning from, Buttermere . The best views of Keswick Lake are from Crow Park ; Frier's Crag ;the Stable-field, close by; the Vicarage, and from various points in taking the circuit of the Lake. More distant views, and perhaps full as interesting, are from the side of Latrigg , from Ormathwaite , and Applethwaite ; and thence along the road at the foot of Skiddaw towards Bassenthwaite , for about a quarter of a mile. There are fine bird's eye views from the Castle-hill; from Ashness , on the road to Watenlath , and by following the Watenlath stream downwards to the Cataract of Lodore . This Lake also, if the weather be fine, ought to be circumnavigated. There are good views along the western side of Bassenthwaite Lake , and from Armathwaite at its foot; but the eastern side from the high road has little to recommend it. The Traveller from Carlisle , approaching by way of Ireby , has, from the old road on the top of bassenthwaite-hawse , much the most striking view of the Plain and Lake of Bassenthwaite , flanked by Skiddaw , and terminated by Wallowcrag on the south-east of Derwent Lake ; the same point commands an extensive view of Solway Firth and the Scotch Mountains . They who take the circuit of Derwent Lake , may at the same time include BORROWDALE , going as far as Bowderstone , or Rosthwaite . Borrowdale is also conveniently seen on the way to Wastdale over Styhead ; or, to Buttermere , by Seatoller and Honister Crag ; or, going over the Stake, through Langdale , to Ambleside . Buttermere may be visited by a shorter way through Newlands , but though the descent upon the Vale of Buttermere , by this approach, is very striking, as it also is to one entering by the head of the Vale, under Honister Crag , yet, after all, the best entrance from Keswick is from the lower part of the Vale, having gone over Whinlater to Scale Hill , where there is a roomy Inn, with very good accommodation. The Mountains of the Vale of
Buttermere and Crummock
Are no where so impressive as from the bosom of Crummock Water . Scale-force , near it, is a fine chasm, with a lofty, though but slender fall of water.
From Scale Hill a pleasant walk may be taken to an eminence in Mr. Marshall's woods, and another by crossing the bridge at the foot of the hill, upon which the Inn stands, and turning to the right, after the opposite hill has been ascended a little way, then follow the road for half a mile or so that leads to Lorton , looking back upon Crummock Water , etc., between the openings of the fences. Turn back and may your way to
Loweswater
But this small Lake is only approached to advantage from the other end; therefore any Traveller going by this road to Wastdale , must look back upon it. This road to Wastdale , after passing the village of Lamplugh Cross , presents suddenly a fine view of the Lake of Ennerdale , with its Mountains; and, six or seven miles beyond, leads down upon Calder Abbey . Little of this ruin is left, but that little is well worthy of notice. At Calder Bridge are two comfortable Inns, and, a few miles beyond, accomodations may be had at the Strands , at the foot of Wastdale . Into
Wastdale
Are three horse-roads, viz. over the Stye from Borrowdale ; a short cut from Eskdale by Burnmoor Tarn , which road descends upon the head of the Lake; and the principal entrance from the open country by the Strands at its foot. This last is much the best approach. Wastdale is well worth the notice of a Traveller who is not afraid of fatigue; no part of the country is more distinguished by sublimity. Wastwater may also be visited from Ambleside ; by going up Langdale , over Hardknot and Wrynose -down Eskdale and by Irton Hall to the Strands ; but this road can only be taken on foot, or on horseback, or in a cart.
Ullswater
As being, perhaps, upon the whole, the happiest combination of beauty and grandeur, which any of the Lakes afford. It lies not more than ten miles from Ambleside , and the Pass of Kirkstone and the descent from it are very impressive; but, notwithstanding, this Vale, like the others, loses much of its effect by being entered from the head: so that it is better to go from Keswick through Matterdale , and descend upon Gowbarrow Park ; you are thus brought at once upon a magnificent view of the two higher reaches of the Lake. Ara-force thunders down the Ghyll on the left, at a small distance from the road. If Ullswater be approached from Penrith , a mile and a half brings you to the winding vale of Eamont , and the prospects increase in interest till you reach Patterdale ; but the first four miles along Ullswater by this road are comparatively tame; and in order to see the lower part of the Lake to advantage, it is necessary to go round by Pooley Bridge , and to ride at least three miles along the Westmorland side of the water, towards Martindale . The views, especially if you ascend from the road into the fields, are magnificent; yet this is only mentioned that the transient Visitant may know what exists; for it would be inconvenient to go in search of them. They who take this course of three or four miles on foot, should have a boat in readiness at the end of the walk, to carry them across to the Cumberland side of the Lake, near Old Church , thence to pursue the road upwards to Patterdale . The Church-yard Yew-tree still survives at Old Church , but there are no remains of a Place of Worship,a New Chapel having been erected in a more central situation, which Chapel was consecrated by the then Bishop Carlisle , when on his way to crown Queen Elizabeth , he being the only Prelate who would undertake the office. It may be mentioned here that Bassenthwaite Chapel yet stands in a bay as sequestered as the Site of the Old Church; such situations having been chosen in disturbed times to elude marauders.
The Trunk, or Body of the Vale of Ullswater need not be further noticed, as its beauties show themselves: but the curious Traveller may wish to know something of the tributary Streams.
At Dalemain , about three miles from Penrith , a Stream is crossed called the Dacre , or Dacor , which name it bore as early as the time of the Venerable Bede . This stream does not enter the Lake, but joins the Eamont a mile below. It rises in the moorish Country about Penruddock , flows down a soft sequestered Valley, passing by the ancient mansions of Hutton John and Dacre Castle . The former is pleasantly situated, though of a character somewhat gloomy and monastic, and from some of the fields near Dalemain , Dacre Castle , backed by the jagged summit of Saddle-back , with the Valley and Stream in front, forms a grand picture. There is no other stream that conducts to any glen or valley worthy of being mentioned, till we reach that which leads up to Ara-force , and thence into Matterdale , before spoken of. Matterdale , though a wild and interesting spot, has no peculiar features that would make it worth the Stranger's while to go in search of them; but, in Gowbarrow Park , the lover of Nature might linger for hours. Here is a powerful Brook, which dashes among rocks through a deep glen, hung on every side with a rich and happy intermixture of native wood; here are beds of luxuriant fern, aged hawthorns, and hollies decked with honeysuckles; and fallow-deer glancing and bounding over the lawns and through the thickets. These are the attractions of the retired views, or constitute a foreground for ever-varying pictures of the majestic Lake, forced to take a winding course by bold promontories, and environed by mountains of sublime form, towering above each other. At the outlet of Gowbarrow Park , we reach a third stream, which flows through a little recess called Glencoin , where lurks a single house, yet visible from the road. Let the Artist or leisurely Traveller turn aside to it, for the buildings and objects around them are romantic and picturesque. Having passed under the steeps of Styebarrow Crag , and the remains of its native woods, at Glenridding Bridge , a fourth stream is crossed.
The opening on the side of Ullswater Vale , down which this Stream flows, is adorned with fertile fields, cottages, and natural groves, that agreeably unite with the transverse views of the Lake; and the Stream, if followed up after the enclosures are left behind, will lead along bold water-breaks and waterfalls to a silent Tarn in the recesses of Helvellyn . This desolate spot was formerly haunted by eagles, that built in the precipice that forms its western barrier. These birds used to wheel and hover round the head of the solitary angler. It also derives a meloncholy interest from the fate of a young man, a stranger, who perished some years ago, by falling down the rocks in his attempt to cross over to Grasmere . His remains were discovered by means of a faithful dog that had lingered here for the space of three months, self-supported, and probably retaining to the last an attachment to the skeleton of its master. But to return to the road in the main Vale of Ullswater .-At the head of the Lake (being now in Patterdale ) we cross a fifth Stream, Grisdale Beck : this would conduct through a woody steep, where there may be seen some unusually large ancient hollies, up to the level area of the Valley of Grisdale ; hence there is a path for foot-travellers, and along which a horse may be led, to Grasmere . A sublime combination of mountain forms appears in front while ascending the bed of this valley, and the impression increases till the path leads almost immediately under the projecting masses of Helvellyn . Having retraced the banks of the Stream to Patterdale , and pursued the road up the main Dale, the next considerable stream would, if ascended in the same manner, conduct to Deep-dale , the character of which valley may be conjectured from its name. It is terminated by a cove, a craggy and gloomy abyss, with precipitous sides; a faithful receptacle of the snows that are driven into it, by the west wind, from the summit of Fairfield . Lastly, having gone along the western side of Brotherswater and passed Hartsop Hall , a Stream soon issues from a cove richly decorated with native wood. This spot is, I believe, never explored by Travellers; but, from these sylvan and rocky recesses, whoever looks back on the gleaming surface of Brotherswater , or forward to the precipitous sides and lofty ridges of Dove Crag , etc., will be equally pleased with the beauty, the grandeur, and the wildness of the scenery.
Seven Glens or Vallies have been noticed, which branch off from the Cumberland side of the Vale. The opposite side has only Streams of any importance, one of which would lead up from the point where it crosses the Kirkstone-road , near the foot of Brotherswater ,to the decaying hamlet of Hartsop , remarkable for its cottage architecture, and thence to Haywater , much frequented by anglers. The other, coming down Martindale , enters Ullswater at sandwyke , opposite to Gowbarrow Park . No persons but such as come to Patterdale , merely to pass through it, should fail to walk as far as Blowick , the only enclosed land which on this side borders the higher part of the Lake. The axe has here indiscriminately levelled a rich wood of birches and oaks, that divided this favoured spot into a hundred pictures. It has yet it land-locked bays, and rocky promontories; but those beautiful woods are gone, which perfected its seclusion; and scenes, that might formerly have been compared to an inexhaustible volume, are now spread before the eye in a single sheet,- magnificent indeed, but seemingly perused in a moment! From Blowick a narrow track conducts along the craggy side of Place-fell , richly adorned with juniper, and sprinkled over with birches, to the village of Sandwyke , a few straggling houses, that with the small estates attached to them, occupy an opening opposite to Lyulph's Tower and Gowbarrow Park . In Martindale , the road loses sight of the Lake, and leads over a steep hill, bringing you again into view of Ullswater . Its lowest reach, four miles in length, is before you; and the view terminated by the long ridge of Cross Fell in the distance. Immediately under the eye is a deep-indented bay, with a plot of fertile land, transversed by a small brook, and rendered cheerful by two or three substantial houses of a more ornamented and showy appearence than is usual in those wild spots.
From Pooley Bridge , at the foot of the Lake, Haweswater may be conveniently visited. Haweswater is a lesser Ullswater , with this advantage, that it remains undefiled by the intrusion of bad taste.
Lowther Castle is about four miles from Pooley Bridge , and, if during this Tour the Stanger has complained, as he will have had reason to do, of a want of majestic trees, he may be abundantly recompensed for his loss in the far-spreading woods that surround the mansion. Visitants, for the most part, see little of the beauty of these magnificent grounds, being content with the view from the Terrace; but the whole course of the Lowther , from Askham to the bridge under Brougham Hall , presents almost at every step some new feature of river, woodland, and rocky landscape. A portion of this tract, has, from its beauty, acquired the name of the Elysian Fields ;-but the course of the stream can only be followed by the pedestrian.
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William Wordsworth's Description of the Scenery of the Lakes. Section First. View of the Country as Formed by Nature. (lines 1-90.) Taken from his Guide to the Lakes
Description of the Scenery of the Lakes
Section First: view of the Country as Formed by Nature
At Lucerne , in Switzerland , is shewn a Model of the Alpine country which encompasses the Lake of the four Cantons. The Spectator ascends a little platform, and sees mountains, lakes, glaciers, rivers, woods, waterfalls, and vallies [sic], with their cottages, and every other object contained in them, lying at his feet; all things being represented in their appropriate colours. It may easily be conceived that this exhibition affords an exquisite delight to the imagination, tempting it to wander at will from valley to valley, from mountain to mountain, through the deepest recesses of the Alps . But it supplies also a more substantial pleasure: for the sublime and beautiful region, with all its hidden treasures, and their bearings and relations to each other, is thereby comprehended and understood at once.
Something of this kind, without touching upon minute details and individualities which would only confuse and embarrass, will here be attempted, in respect to the Lakes in the north of England , and the vales and mountains enclosing and surrounding them. The delineation, if tolerably executed, will, in some instances, communicate to the traveller, who has already seen the objects, new information; and will assist in giving his recollections a more orderly arrangement than his own oppurtunities of observing may have permitted him to make; while it will be still more useful to the future traveller, by directing his attention at once to distinctions in things which, without such previous aid, a length of timeonly would enable him to discover. It is hoped, also, that this Essay may become more generally serviceable, by leading to habits of more exact and considerate observation than, as far as the writer knows, have hitherto been applied to local scenery.
To begin, then, with the main outlines of the country;-I know not how to give the reader a distinct image of these more readily, than by requesting him to place himself with me, in imagination, upon some given point; let it be the top of either of the mountains, Great Gavel , or Scawfell ; or, rather, let us suppose our station to be a cloud hanging midway between those two mountains, at not more than half a mile's distance from the summit of each, and not many yards above their highest elevation; we shall then see stretched at our feet a number of vallies, not fewer than eight, diverging from the point, on which we are supposed to stand, like spokes from the nave of a wheel. First, we note, lying to the south-east, the vale of Langdale , which will conduct the eye to the long lake of Winandermere , stretched nearly to the sea; or rather to the sands of the vast bay of Morcamb , serving here for the rim of this imaginary wheel;-let us trace it in a direction from the south-east towards the south, and we shall next fix our eyes upon the vale of Coniston , running up likewise from the sea, but not (as all the other vallies do) to the nave of the wheel, and therefore it may be not inaptly represented as a broken spoke sticking in the rim. Looking forth again, with an inclination towards the west, we see immediately at our feet the vale of Duddon , in which there is no lake, but a copious stream winding among fields, rocks, and mountains, and terminating its course in the sands of Duddon . The fourth vale, next to the observed, viz. that of the Esk , is of the same general character as the last, yet beautifully discriminated from it by peculiar features. Its stream passes under the woody steep upon which stands Muncaster castle , the ancient seat of the Penningtons , and after forming a short and narrow aestuary enters the sea below the small town of Ravenglass . Next, almost due west, look down into, and along the deep valley of Wastdale , with its little chapel and half a dozen neat dwellings scattered upon a plain meadow and corn-ground intersected with stone walls apparently innumerable, like a large piece of lawless patch-work, or an array of mathematical figures, such as in the ancient schools of geometry might have been sportively and fantastically traced out upon sand. Beyond this little fertile plain lies, within a bed of steep mountains, the long, narrow, stern, and desolate lake of Wastdale ; and, beyond this, a dusky tract of level ground conducts the eye to the Irish Sea . The stream that issues from Wast-water is named the Irt and falls into the aestuary of the river Esk . Next comes in view Ennerdale , with its lake of bold and somewhat savage shores. Its stream, the Ehen or Enna , flowing through a soft and fertile country, passes the town of Egremont , and the ruins of the castle,- then, seeming, like the other rivers, to break through the barrier of sand thrown up by the winds on this tempestuous coast, enters the Irish Sea . The vale of Buttermere , with the lake and village of that name, and Crummock-water , beyond, next present themselves. We will follow the main stream, the Coker , through the fertile and beautiful vale of Lorton , till it is lost in the Derwent , below the noble ruins of Cockermouth Castle . Lastly, Borrowdale , of which the vale of Keswick is only a continuation, stretching due north, brings us to a point nearly opposite to the vale of Winandermere with which we began. From this it will appear, that the image of a wheel, thus far exact, is a little more than one half complete; but the deficiency on the eastern side may be supplied by the vales of Wytheburn , Ulswater , Hawswater , and the vale of Grasmere and Rydal ; none of these, however, run up to the central point between Great Gavel and Scawfell . From this, hitherto our central point, take a flight of not more than four or five miles eastward to the ridge of Helvellyn , and you will look down upon Wytheburn and St. John's Vale , which are a branch of the vale of Keswick ; upon Ulswater , stretching due east:-and not far beyond to the south-east (though from this point not visible) lie the vale and lake of Hawswater ; and lastly, the vale of Grasmere , Rydal , and Ambleside , brings you back to Winandermere , thus completing, though on the eastern side in a somewhat irregular manner, the representative figure of the wheel.
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